. Antoine, but empty, and
carefully arranged. I will put my own people in it."

"Is it to be for--?"

"For a prude, Noce."

"The houses in the faubourg have a bad name, monseigneur."

"The person for whom I require it does not know that; remember, absolute
silence, Noce, and give me the keys."

"A quarter of an hour, monseigneur, and you shall have them."

"Adieu, Noce, your hand; no spying, no curiosity, I beg."

"Monseigneur, I am going to hunt, and shall only return at your
pleasure."

"Thanks; adieu till to-morrow."

The regent sat down and wrote to Madame Desroches, sending a carriage
with an order to bring Helene, after reading her the letter without
showing it to her.

The letter was as follows:

"MY DAUGHTER--On reflection, I wish to have you near
me. Therefore follow Madame Desroches without loss of
time. On your arrival at Paris, you shall hear from me.
Your affectionate father."

[Illustration: PHILIP V.--Page 477.]

Helene resisted, prayed, wept, but was forced to obey. She profited by a
moment of solitude to write to Gaston, as we have seen. Then she left
this dwelling which had become dear to her, for there she had found her
father and received her lover.

As to Gaston, he waited vainly at the barrier, till, giving up all hope,
he returned to the hotel. As he crossed the garden of the Tuileries,
eight o'clock struck.

At that moment Dubois entered the regent's bedchamber with a portfolio
under his arm, and a triumphant smile on his face.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE ARTIST AND THE POLITICIAN.

"Ah! it is you, Dubois," exclaimed the regent, as his minister entered.

"Yes, monseigneur," said Dubois, taking out some papers. "Well, what do
you say to our Bretons now?"

"What papers are those?" asked the regent, who, in spite of the
preceding day's conversation, or perhaps because of it, felt a secret
sympathy with De Chanlay.

"Oh, nothing at all, first a little report of what passed yesterday
evening between M. de Chanlay and his excellency the Duc d'Olivares."

"You listened, then?" said the regent.

"Pardieu, monseigneur, what did you expect that I should do?"

"And you heard?"

"All. What do you think of his Catholic majesty's pretensions?"

"I think that perhaps they use his name without his consent."

"And Cardinal Alberoni? Tudieu! monseigneur, how nicely they manage
Europe: the pretender in England; Prussia, Sweden, and Russia tearing
Holland to pi