on's feet.

"Now, shall I send back the bell?"

"Yes; for my jailers might miss it to-morrow morning, and you do not
want light for your conversation with Pompadour."

"No; certainly not."

And the bell was drawn up.

"Now," said the chevalier, "you must have something to drink with your
sweets, and I will send you a bottle of champagne."

"Thank you," said Gaston, "do not deprive yourself of it; I do not care
much for it."

"Then when you have made the hole, you shall pass it to Pompadour, who
is of a very different opinion. Stay, here it is."

"Thank you, chevalier."

"Good-night."

"Good-night."

And the string ascended.

Gaston looked for the string at the window, and saw that it had
disappeared.

"Ah," sighed he, "the Bastille would be a palace for me, if my poor
Helene were in Mademoiselle de Launay's place."

Then he resumed a conversation with Pompadour, which lasted till three
in the morning, and in which he told him that he was going to pierce a
hole, that they might have more direct communication.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

A COMPANION IN THE BASTILLE.

Thus occupied, Gaston was more uneasy than ennuye; besides, he found
another source of amusement. Mademoiselle de Launay, who obtained
whatever she liked from the lieutenant, Maison-Rouge, provided her
request were only accompanied by a sweet smile, obtained paper and pens;
she had sent some to Dumesnil, who had shared them with Gaston, with
whom he still communicated, and with Richelieu, with whom also he
managed to correspond. Then Gaston formed the idea of making some verses
to Helene.

On his part, the Chevalier Dumesnil made some for Mademoiselle de
Launay, who made them in return for him, so that the Bastille was a true
Parnassus. There was only Richelieu who dishonored the society by
writing prose.

Time passed, as it will pass, even in the Bastille.

Gaston was asked if he would like to attend mass, and as he was deeply
religious, he had assented most gladly. The next day they came to fetch
him.

The mass was celebrated in a little church, having, instead of chapels,
separate closets, with bulls-eye windows into the choir, so that they
could only see the officiating priest at the moment of elevation, and he
could not see the prisoners at all.

Gaston saw M. de Laval and the Duc de Richelieu, who had apparently come
to mass for the purpose of talking, for they knelt side by side, and
kept up an incessant whispering. Monsie