im against every one."

"So that he would not have been killed?"

"Either that, or I should have got myself killed along with him."

"At all events, you were not there, so that the poor devil breathed his
last in an obscure tavern, and in doing so pronounced Dom Modeste's
name; is not that so?"

"Yes."

"Whereupon the people there informed Dom Modeste of it?"

"A man, seemingly scared out of his wits, who threw the whole convent
into consternation."

"And Dom Modeste sent for his litter, and hastened to 'La Corne
d'Abondance.'"

"How do you know that?"

"Oh! you don't know me yet, my boy; I am somewhat of a sorcerer, I can
tell you."

Jacques drew back a couple of steps.

"That is not all," continued Chicot, who, as he spoke, began to see
clearer by the light of his own words; "a letter was found in the dead
man's pocket."

"A letter--yes, precisely so."

"And Dom Modeste charged his little Jacques to carry that letter to its
address."

"Yes."

"And the little Jacques ran immediately to the Hotel de Guise."

"Oh!"

"Where he found no one."

"Bon Dieu!"

"But Monsieur de Mayneville."

"Good gracious!"

"And which same Monsieur de Mayneville conducted Jacques to the hostelry
of the 'Brave Chevalier.'"

"Monsieur Briquet! Monsieur Briquet!" cried Jacques, "if you know
that--"

"Eh! ventre de biche! you see very well that I do know it," exclaimed
Chicot, feeling triumphant at having disentangled this secret, which was
of such importance for him to learn, from the provoking intricacies in
which it had been at first involved.

"In that case," returned Jacques, "you see very well, Monsieur Briquet,
that I am not guilty."

"No," said Chicot, "you are not guilty in act, nor in omission, but you
are guilty in thought."

"I!"

"I suppose there is no doubt you think the duchesse very beautiful?"

"I!!"

"And you turned round to look at her again through the window."

"I!!!"

The young monk colored and stammered out: "Well, it is true, she is
exactly like a Virgin Mary which was placed over the head of my mother's
bed."

"Oh!" muttered Chicot, "how much those people lose who are not curious!"

And thereupon he made little Clement, whom from this moment he held in
his power, tell him all he had himself just told him, but this time with
the details, which he could not possibly otherwise have known.

"You see," said Chicot, when he had finished, "what a poor
fencing-master you had in F