an my sword
straight into the panting mouth of Garoche, so that the point came out
at the back of his neck. He dropped, and I disengaged my weapon barely
in time to check the onslaught of the other man, who, seeing Garoche's
fate, had left the Countess and come at me again. I was out of breath
after the violent thrusts I had made, and a mist now clouded my eyes. I
know not how this last contest would have gone, had not Mathilde,
recovering her self-command, drawn the sword of the man who had fallen
first, and, holding it with both hands, pushed it with all her strength
into my adversary's back.

I wiped my weapons on the clothes of the slain murderers. The Countess
fell on her knees and thanked heaven for our preservation. I then went
to the opening made by the removal of the stone slab: peering down, I
could see nothing. I took the key of the door from the pocket of its
last holder, and dropped it through the hole, while the Countess and
Mathilde leaned over me, listening. Some moments passed before we heard
anything; then there came the sound of the key striking mud in the black
depths far below. The secret shaft, then, led to the bottom of the
tower.

The Countess shuddered, and whispered: "Come, let us not lose a moment."

I first lifted the masks, and recognized the murderers as fellows I had
seen lounging in the court-yard. Then I gave directions for descending
the ladder. I should have preferred being the last to leave the room but
that I thought it necessary to support the Countess in her descent and
Mathilde firmly refused to precede us. As the ladder might not hold the
weight of three, Mathilde would see us to the ground, and then follow.

Two could not go out of the window at once, so I backed through first,
and waited when my feet were planted on the ladder, my breast being then
against the edge of the window sill. Madame followed me. I guided her
feet with one hand, and placed them on the ladder, having descended just
sufficiently to make room for her. I then lowered myself another round,
and she, holding on to a round in the window shaft with one hand,
grasped the first round outside with the other, emerged entirely from
the opening, and let me guide her foot a step lower. We then proceeded
downward in this manner, I holding my head and body well back from the
ladder so that her feet were usually on a level with my breast: thus if
she showed any sign of weakness, I could throw an arm around her. I had