n the route, appeared.

"Ah! it is you, Tapin?"

"Yes, monseigneur; the affair being important, I thought it better to
come myself."

"Have you questioned the men you placed on the road?"

"Yes, monseigneur; but they know nothing but the places at which our
conspirators stopped; in fact, that is all they were told to learn."

"I will try to learn from the servant. What sort of man is he?"

"Oh, a mischievous simpleton, half Norman, half Breton; a bad fellow."

"What is he about now?"

"Serving his master's supper."

"Whom, I hope, they have placed as I desired?"

"Yes, monseigneur."

"In a room without curtains?"

"Yes, monseigneur."

"And you have made a hole in the shutter?"

"Yes, monseigneur."

"Well, then, send me the servant, and remain within call."

The man in the red coat consulted his watch.

"Half-past eight," said he; "at this hour Monseigneur the Regent returns
to St. Germains and asks for Dubois; as Dubois is not there, he rubs
his hands and prepares for some folly. Rub your hands, Philippe
d'Orleans, and amuse yourself at your pleasure, for the danger is not at
Paris, but here. We shall see if you will laugh at my secret police this
time. Ah! here is our man."

At this moment Tapin introduced Owen.

"Here is the person you wished to see," said he.

Owen remained standing, trembling, near the door, while Dubois wrapped
himself in a large cloak, which left only the upper part of his face
visible to him on whom he fixed his cat-like eyes.

"Approach, my friend," said Dubois.

In spite of the cordiality of this invitation, it was given in so harsh
a voice that Owen would have preferred being at a greater distance from
this man, who looked at him so strangely.

"Well, fellow," said Dubois, seeing that he did not stir, "did you not
hear me?"

"Yes, monseigneur," said Owen.

"Then why do you not obey?"

"I did not know you spoke to me."

And Owen then stepped forward.

"You have received fifty louis to speak the truth to me," continued
Dubois.

"Pardon, monseigneur," said Owen, who began to recover his composure; "I
have not received them; they were promised to me, but--"

Dubois took a handful of gold from his pocket, counted fifty louis, and
placed them in a pile on the table.

Owen looked at the pile with an expression of which one would have
supposed his dull countenance incapable.

"Good," thought Dubois; "he is avaricious."

In reality, the fifty louis had alway