ce that you should escape out of reach of
M. de Brevan; he must lose every trace of you. You will, consequently,
have to leave this house."

"I will leave it."

"And in the way I say."

"I will obey you in every point."

The last shadow of trouble which had still overclouded the old dealer's
brow vanished as if by magic.

"Then all will go well," he said, rubbing his hands as if he were taking
off the skin; "and I guarantee the rest. Let us make haste to understand
each other; for I have been here a long time, and the woman Chevassat
must be on needles. Still, it is important she should not suspect that
we are acting in concert."

As if afraid that an indiscreet ear might be listening at the door, he
drew his chair quite close to Henrietta's bed, and whispered in a voice
but just audible to her,--

"As soon as I have turned my back that woman will come up, burning with
curiosity to know what has happened between us. You must pretend to be
very angry with me. Give her to understand that you think me a wicked
old man, who wants you to pay the price of infamy for the services I
wish to render to you."

Henrietta had turned crimson. Now she stammered out,--

"But, sir"--

"Perhaps you dislike telling a falsehood?"

"You see--I cannot, I fear. It would not be easy to lie so as to deceive
Mrs. Chevassat."

"Ah, madam, you must! it cannot be helped. If you admit the absolute
necessity, you may succeed in misleading her. Remember that we must
fight the enemy with his own weapons."

"Well, then, I will try, sir."

"So be it. The rest, you will see, is a small matter. As soon as night
falls, you will dress, and watch for the moment when the concierge, as
usually, goes about the house lighting the gas. As soon as you see him
on the great staircase; you will make haste and run down. I shall take
measures to have the woman Chevassat either kept engaged, or out of
the house; and you will thus find it easy to slip out without being
perceived. Once in the street, you will turn to the right. At the corner
of the street, in front of the great Auction-Mart, you will see a cab
standing, with a plaid handkerchief like this hanging out of the window.
Get into it boldly; I'll be inside. I do not know if I have made it all
clear to you?"

"Oh, perfectly, sir!"

"Then we understand each other. Do you feel strong enough?"

"Yes, sir. You may rely on me."

Every thing passed off just as the old dealer had foreseen; and
H