en approached a well
hollowed out in the cave, attached a bucket to a long cord, let it down
into the well, and then drew it up full of a water as cold as ice and as
clear as crystal.

"Approach, madame," said he.

Diana drew near. In the bucket he let fall a single drop of the liquid
contained in the phial, and the entire mass of the water became
instantaneously yellow; then the color evaporated, and the water in ten
minutes became as clear as before.

Remy looked at her.

"Well?" said she.

"Well, madame," said he, "now dip in that water, which has neither smell
nor color, a glove or a handkerchief; soak it in scented soap, pour some
of it into the basin where you are about to wash your hands or face, and
you will see, as was seen at the court of Charles IX., the flower kill
by its perfume, the glove poison by its contact, the soap kill by its
introduction into the pores of the skin. Pour a single drop of this pure
oil on the wick of a lamp or candle, and for an hour the candle or lamp
will exhale death, and burn at the same time like any other."

"You are sure of what you say, Remy?"

"All this I have tried. See these birds who can now neither drink nor
eat; they have drunk of water like this. See this goat who has browsed
on grass watered with this same water; he moves and totters; vainly now
should we restore him to life and liberty; his life is forfeited,
unless, indeed, nature should reveal to his instinct some of those
antidotes to poison which animals know, although men do not."--"Can I
see this phial, Remy?"

"Yes, madame, presently."

Remy then separated it from the still with infinite care, then corked it
with soft wax, tied the top up in cloth, and then presented it to Diana.

She took it, held it up to the light, and, after looking at it, said:

"It will do; when the time arrives we will choose gloves, lamp, soap, or
flowers, as convenient. Will the liquor keep in metal?"--"It eats it
away."

"But then, perhaps, the bottle will break?"

"I think not--see the thickness of the crystal; besides, we can shut it
up in a covering of gold."

"Listen, Remy! I hear horses; I think ours have arrived."

"Probably, madame, it is about the time; but I will go and send them
away."

"Why so?"

"Are they not useless?"

"Instead of going to Meridor, we will go into Flanders. Keep the
horses."

"Ah! I understand!" and Remy's eyes gave forth a flash of sinister joy.

"But Grandchamp; what can we d