l."

"Therefore to this circumstance I owe the pleasure of seeing you
to-night at my ease."

"Well! listen, Carmainges," said the duchess, with a gentle familiarity
which filled the heart of the young man with joy; "this is what you must
do, whenever you think you shall be at liberty--send a note here to the
hostess, and every day I will send a man to inquire."

"Oh! mon Dieu! madame, you are too good!"

"What is that noise?" said the duchess, laying her hand on his arm.

Indeed, a noise of spurs, of voices, of doors shutting, and joyous
exclamations, came from the room below, like the echo of an invasion.
Ernanton looked out.

"It is my companions," said he, "who have come here to spend their
holiday."

"But by what chance? just where we are."

"Because it is just here, madame, that we each had a rendezvous on our
arrival, and on the happy day of their entry in Paris my friends
conceived an affection for the wine and the cooking of M. Fournichon.
But you, how did you come to choose this place?"

"I chose, and you will easily understand that, the most deserted part of
Paris, a place near the river, where no one was likely to recognize me,
or suspect that I could come; but, mon Dieu! how noisy your companions
are."

Indeed, the noise was becoming a perfect storm, but all at once they
heard a sound of footsteps on the little staircase which led to their
room, and Madame Fournichon's voice, crying, from below, "M. de St.
Maline, M. de St. Maline!"

"Well!" replied the young man.

"Do not go up there, I beg!"

"And why not, dear Madame Fournichon? is not all the house ours
to-night?"--"Not the turrets."

"Bah! they are part of the house," cried five or six voices.

"No, they are not; they are private; do not disturb my lodgers."

"Do not disturb me, Madame Fournichon," replied St. Maline.

"For pity's sake!" cried Madame Fournichon.

"Madame," replied he, "it is midnight, and at nine all fires ought to be
extinguished; there is a fire now in your turret, and I must see what
disobedient subject is transgressing the king's edicts."

And St. Maline continued to advance, followed by several others.

"Mon Dieu! M. de Carmainges," cried the duchess, "will those people dare
to enter here?"

"I am here, madame; have no fear."

"Oh! they are forcing the doors," cried she.

Indeed, St. Maline rushed so furiously against the door, that, being
very slight, it was at once broken open.

CHAPTER LVIII