a general
topic of conversation than my judges, finding themselves exposed to a
thousand shafts, realized very vividly that hatred and prejudice are bad
counsellors and dangerous guides. The sheriff of the province declared
himself the champion of my cause and Edmee's knight, and he himself
escorted her back to her father. He set all the police agog. They acted
with vigour and arrested John Mauprat. When he found himself a prisoner
and threatened, he betrayed his brother, and declared that they might
find him any night at Roche-Mauprat, hiding in a secret chamber which
the tenant's wife helped him to reach, without her husband's knowledge.

They took the Trappist to Roche-Mauprat under a good escort, so that he
might show them this secret chamber, which, in spite of his genius
for exploring walls and timber-work, the old pole-cat hunter and
mole-catcher Marcasse had never managed to reach. They took me there,
likewise, so that I might help to find this room or passage leading
to it, in case the Trappist should repent of his present sincere
intentions. Once again, then, I revisited this abhorred manor with the
ancient chief of the brigands transformed into a Trappist. He showed
himself so humble and cringing in my presence, he made so light of his
brother's life, and expressed such abject submission that I was filled
with disgust, and after a few moments begged him not to speak to me any
more. Keeping in touch with the mounted police outside, we began our
search for the secret chamber. At first John had pretended that he
knew of its existence, without knowing its exact location now that
three-quarters of the keep had been destroyed. When he saw me, however,
he remembered that I had surprised him in my room, and that he had
disappeared through the wall. He resigned himself, therefore, to taking
us to it, and showing us the secret; this was very curious; but I will
not amuse myself by giving you an account of it. The secret chamber was
opened; no one was there. Yet the expedition had been made with despatch
and secrecy. It did not appear probable that John had had time to warn
his brother. The keep was surrounded by the police and all the doors
were well guarded. The night was dark, and our invasion had filled all
the inmates of the farm with terror. The tenant had no idea what we were
looking for, but his wife's agitation and anxiety seemed a sure sign
that Antony was still in the keep. She had not sufficient presence of