answered Joseph, with a profound sigh, and raising
his eyes to heaven; "but the Cardinal is no longer the same man. He will
not take advantage of good ideas; he will ruin us if he goes on thus."

And, making a low bow to the judge, the Capuchin took the road which he
had indicated to him.

Laubardemont followed him for some time with his eyes, and, when he was
quite sure of the route which he had taken, he returned, or, rather, ran
back to the tent of the minister. "The Cardinal dismisses him, he tells
me; that shows that he is tired of him. I know secrets which will ruin
him. I will add that he is gone to pay court to the future favorite. I
will replace this monk in the favor of the minister. The moment is
propitious. It is midnight; he will be alone for an hour and a half yet.
Let me run."

He arrived at the tent of the guards, which was before the pavilion.

"Monseigneur gives audience to some one," said the captain, hesitating;
"you can not enter."

"Never mind; you saw me leave an hour ago, and things are passing of
which I must give an account."

"Come in, Laubardemont," cried the minister; "come in quickly, and
alone."

He entered. The Cardinal, still seated, held the two hands of the nun in
one of his, and with the other he imposed silence upon his stupefied
agent, who remained motionless, not yet seeing the face of this woman.
She spoke volubly, and the strange things she said contrasted horribly
with the sweetness of her voice. Richelieu seemed moved.

"Yes, I will stab him with a knife. It is the knife which the demon
Behirith gave me at the inn; but it is the nail of Sisera. It has a
handle of ivory, you see; and I have wept much over it. Is it not
singular, my good General? I will turn it in the throat of him who killed
my friend, as he himself told me to do; and afterward I will burn the
body. There is like for like, the punishment which God permitted to Adam.
You have an astonished air, my brave general; but you would be much more
so, were I to repeat to you his song--the song which he sang to me again
last night, at the hour of the funeral-pyre--you understand?--the hour
when it rains, the hour when my hand burns as now. He said to me: 'They
are much deceived, the magistrates, the red judges. I have eleven demons
at my command; and I shall come to see you when the clock strikes, under
a canopy of purple velvet, with torches--torches of resin to give us
light--' Ah, that is beautiful! Listen, lis