has taken refuge
with me; but he cannot remain there, for I am the first person they will
suspect. Your house is in an isolated position, and consequently we
could not find a better retreat for him. You must put it at our disposal
until events enable the king to come to some decision."

"It is at your service," said Marouin.

"Right. My uncle shall sleep there to-night."

"But at least give me time to make some preparations worthy of my royal
guest."

"My poor Marouin, you are giving yourself unnecessary trouble, and making
a vexatious delay for us: King Joachim is no longer accustomed to palaces
and courtiers; he is only too happy nowadays to find a cottage with a
friend in it; besides, I have let him know about it, so sure was I of
your answer. He is counting on sleeping at your house to-night, and if I
try to change his determination now he will see a refusal in what is only
a postponement, and you will lose all the credit for your generous and
noble action. There--it is agreed: to-night at ten at the Champs de
Mars."

With these words the captain put his horse to a gallop and disappeared.
Marouin turned his horse and went back to his country house to give the
necessary orders for the reception of a stranger whose name he did not
mention.

At ten o'clock at night, as had been agreed, Marouin was on the Champs de
Mars, then covered with Marshal Brune's field-artillery. No one had
arrived yet. He walked up and down between the gun-carriages until a
functionary came to ask what he was doing. He was hard put to it to find
an answer: a man is hardly likely to be wandering about in an artillery
park at ten o'clock at night for the mere pleasure of the thing. He
asked to see the commanding officer. The officer came up: M. Marouin
informed him that he was an avocat, attached to the law courts of Toulon,
and told him that he had arranged to meet someone on the Champs de Mars,
not knowing that it was prohibited, and that he was still waiting for
that person. After this explanation, the officer authorised him to
remain, and went back to his quarters. The sentinel, a faithful adherent
to discipline, continued to pace up and down with his measured step,
without troubling any more about the stranger's presence.

A few moments later a group of several persons appeared from the
direction of Les Lices. The night was magnificent, and the moon
brilliant. Marouin recognised Bonafoux, and went up to him. The captai