l briarwood.

We remained in his room until about ten o'clock without a word passing
between us. Buried in an armchair Rouletabille sat and smoked steadily,
his brow in thought and a far-away look in his eyes. On the stroke of
ten he took off his boots and signalled to me to do the same. As we
stood in our socks he said, in so low a tone that I guessed, rather than
heard, the word:

"Revolver."

I drew my revolver from my jacket pocket.

"Cock it!" he said.

I did as he directed.

Then moving towards the door of his room, he opened it with infinite
precaution; it made no sound. We were in the "off-turning" gallery.
Rouletabille made another sign to me which I understood to mean that I
was to take up my post in the dark closet.

When I was some distance from him, he rejoined me and embraced me; and
then I saw him, with the same precaution, return to his room. Astonished
by his embrace, and somewhat disquieted by it, I arrived at the right
gallery without difficulty, crossing the landing-place, and reaching the
dark closet.

Before entering it I examined the curtain-cord of the window and found
that I had only to release it from its fastening with my fingers for
the curtain to fall by its own weight and hide the square of light from
Rouletabille--the signal agreed upon. The sound of a footstep made me
halt before Arthur Rance's door. He was not yet in bed, then! How was
it that, being in the chateau, he had not dined with Monsieur Stangerson
and his daughter? I had not seen him at table with them, at the moment
when we looked in.

I retired into the dark closet. I found myself perfectly situated. I
could see along the whole length of the gallery. Nothing, absolutely
nothing could pass there without my seeing it. But what was going to
pass there? Rouletabille's embrace came back to my mind. I argued that
people don't part from each, other in that way unless on an important or
dangerous occasion. Was I then in danger?

My hand closed on the butt of my revolver and I waited. I am not a hero;
but neither am I a coward.

I waited about an hour, and during all that time I saw nothing unusual.
The rain, which had begun to come down strongly towards nine o'clock,
had now ceased.

My friend had told me that, probably, nothing would occur before
midnight or one o'clock in the morning. It was not more than half-past
eleven, however, when I heard the door of Arthur Rance's room open very
slowly. The door remained ope