r something
there!"

"Vile impostor! He is looking to see the flies," said Tortillard.

"Come, quick! Haste forward, my man! Up with Pegriotte! That's it!" said
the Chouette, as she saw the ruffian lift Fleur-de-Marie in his arms as
he would carry a sleeping infant. "Quick to the coach! quick,--quick!"

"But who will lead me?" inquired the Schoolmaster, in a hoarse voice,
and securing his light and flexible burden in his herculean arms.

"Old wise head!--he thinks of every thing!" said the Chouette.

Then, lifting aside her shawl, she unfastened a red pocket-handkerchief
which covered her skinny neck, and, twisting it into its length, said
to the Schoolmaster:

"Open your ivories, and take the end of this 'wipe' between them. Hold
tight! Tortillard will take the other end in his hand, and you have
nothing to do but to follow him. The good blind man requires a good dog!
Here, brat!"

The cripple cut a caper, and made a sort of low and odd barking. Then,
taking the other end of the handkerchief in his hand, he led the
Schoolmaster in this way, whilst the Chouette hastened forward to
apprise Barbillon. We have not attempted to paint Fleur-de-Marie's
terror when she found herself in the power of the Chouette and the
Schoolmaster. She felt all her strength leave her, and could not offer
the slightest resistance.

Some minutes afterwards the Goualeuse was lifted into the _fiacre_ which
Barbillon drove, and although it was night they closed the window-blinds
carefully; and the three accomplices went, with their almost expiring
victim, towards the plain of St. Denis, where Thomas Seyton awaited
them.

CHAPTER XI.

CLEMENCE D'HARVILLE.

The reader will kindly excuse our having left one of our heroines in a
most critical situation, the _denouement_ of which we shall state
hereafter.

It will be remembered that Rodolph had preserved Madame d'Harville from
an imminent danger, occasioned by the jealousy of Sarah, who had
acquainted M. d'Harville with the assignation Clemence had so
imprudently granted to M. Charles Robert. Deeply affected with the scene
he had witnessed, the prince returned directly home after quitting the
Rue du Temple, putting off till the next day the visit he purposed
paying to Mlle. Rigolette and the distressed family of the unfortunate
artisan, of whom we have spoken, believing them out of the reach of
present want, thanks to the money he had given Madame d'Harville to
convey to them,