an on the success of his
mission. "We will keep him now!" said he. "Le Gardeur must never draw a
sober breath again until we have done with him!"

De Pean looked knowingly at Bigot; "I understand," said he; "Emeric and
Le Mercier will drink him blind, and Cadet, Varin, and the rest of us
will rattle the dice like hail. We must pluck the pigeon to his
last feather before he will feel desperate enough to play your game,
Chevalier."

"As you like, De Pean, about that," replied Bigot; "only mind that he
does not leave the Palace. His friends will run after him. That accursed
Philibert will be here; on your life, do not let him see him! Hark you!
When he comes, make Le Gardeur affront him by some offensive reply to
his inquiry. You can do it."

De Pean took the hint, and acted upon it by forging that infamous
card in the name of Le Gardeur, and sending it as his reply to Pierre
Philibert.

CHAPTER XXXIX. MERE MALHEUR.

La Corriveau, eager to commence her work of wickedness, took up her
abode at the house of her ancient friend, Mere Malheur, whither she went
on the night of her first interview with Angelique.

It was a small house, built of uncut stones, with rough stone steps and
lintels, a peaked roof, and low overhanging eaves, hiding itself under
the shadow of the cliff, so closely that it seemed to form a part of the
rock itself.

Its sole inmate, an old crone who had reached the last degree of woman's
ugliness and woman's heartlessness,--Mere Malheur--sold fair winds to
superstitious sailors and good luck to hunters and voyageurs. She was
not a little suspected of dabbling in other forbidden things. Half
believing in her own impostures, she regarded La Corriveau with a
feeling akin to worship, who in return for this devotion imparted to her
a few secrets of minor importance in her diabolic arts.

La Corriveau was ever a welcome guest at the house of Mere Malheur, who
feasted her lavishly, and served her obsequiously, but did not press
with undue curiosity to learn her business in the city. The two women
understood one another well enough not to pry too closely into each
other's secrets.

On this occasion La Corriveau was more than usually reserved, and while
Mere Malheur eagerly detailed to her all the doings and undoings that
had happened in her circle of acquaintance, she got little information
in return. She shrewdly concluded that La Corriveau had business on hand
which would not bear to be spoken