is is not the little bottle of poison;
however, I will give it to you, together with another one, when I have
obtained what I ask. Nothing for nothing, however; and if I must go to
the scaffold, I will do so in good company."

Mademoiselle de Laurebourg was in utter despair.

"But I have no money," said she. "Where is a girl to find such a sum?"

"M. Norbert can find it."

"Go to him, then."

Daumon made a negative sign with his head.

"I am not quite such a fool," answered he; "I know M. Norbert too
well. He is the very image of his father. But you can manage him,
mademoiselle; besides, you have much interest in having the matter
settled."

"Counsellor!"

"There is no use in beating about the bush. I come to you humbly enough,
and you treat me like so much dirt. I will not submit to this, as you
will find to your cost. _I_ never poisoned any one; but enough of this
kind of thing. To-day is Tuesday; if on Friday, by six o'clock, I do not
have what I have asked for, your father and the Count Octave will have a
letter from me, and perhaps your fine marriage may come to nothing after
all."

This insolence absolutely struck Diana dumb, and Daumon had disappeared
round a turning of the road before she could find words to crush him for
his vile attempt at extortion. She felt that he was capable of keeping
his word, even if by so doing he seriously injured himself without
gaining any advantage.

A nature like Diana's always looks danger boldly in the face. She had,
however, but little choice how she would act--for to apply to Norbert
was the only resource left to her--for she knew that he would do all
in his power to ward off the danger which threatened both of them so
nearly. The idea, however, of applying to him for aid was repugnant to
her pride. To what depths of meanness and infamy had she descended! and
to what avail had been all her aspirations of ambition and grandeur?

She was at the mercy of a wretch--of Daumon, in fact. She was forced to
go as a suppliant to a man whom she had loved so well that she now hated
him with a deadly hatred. But she did not hesitate for a moment. She
went straight to the cottage of Widow Rouleau, and despatched Francoise
in quest of Norbert.

She ordered the girl to tell him that he must without fail be at the
wicket gate in the park wall at Laurebourg on the coming night, where
she would meet him, and that the matter was one of life and death.

As Diana gave these orders