“Get on your horse and return to Paris.”

“I am ready; my horse is standing saddled.”

“Good; go then straight to the room of the Forty-five, and awaken every one; but excepting three, whom I will name to you, no one must know where he is going, nor what he is about to do.”

“I will obey these instructions implicitly.”

“Here then are some more; leave fourteen of these gentlemen at the Porte St. Antoine, fifteen others half way, and bring the rest here.”

“Yes, monsieur; but at what hour must we leave Paris?”

“When night falls.”

“On horseback or on foot?”

“On horseback.”

“Armed?”

“Fully; with daggers, pistols, and swords.”

“With armor?”

“Yes.”

“What else?”

“Here are three letters; one for M. de Chalabre, one for M. de Biron, and one for yourself.  M. de Chalabre will command the first party, M. de Biron the second, and yourself the third.”

“Good, monsieur.”

“These letters are only to be opened at six o’clock.  M. de Chalabre will open his at the Porte St. Antoine, M. de Biron his at the Croix Faubin, and you yours on your return.”

“Must we come quickly?”

“As quickly as possible, without creating suspicion.  Let each troop come out of Paris by a different gate; M. de Chalabre by the Porte Bourdelle; M. de Biron by the Porte du Temple, and you through the Porte St. Antoine.  All other instructions are in the letters.  Go quickly from here to the Croix Faubin, but then slowly; you have still two hours before dark, which is more than necessary.  Now do you well understand your orders?”

“Perfectly, monsieur.”

“Fourteen in the first troop, fifteen in the second, and fifteen in the third; it is evident they do not count Ernanton, and that he no longer forms part of the Forty-five,” said St. Maline to himself when De Loignac was gone.

He fulfilled all his directions punctually.  When he arrived among the Forty-five, the greater number of them were already preparing for their supper.  Thus the noble Lardille de Chavantrade had prepared a dish of mutton stewed with carrots and spices, after the method of Gascony, to which Militor had occasionally aided by trying the pieces of meat and vegetable with a fork.

Pertinax de Montcrabeau, and the singular servant who spoke to him so familiarly, were preparing supper for themselves and six companions, who had each contributed six sous toward it; each one, in fact, was disposing according to his fancy of the money of his majesty Henri III.  One might judge of the character of each man by the aspect of his little lodging.  Some loved flowers, and displayed on their window-sills some fading rose or geranium; others had, like the king, a taste for pictures; others had introduced a niece or housekeeper; and M. d’Epernon had told M. de Loignac privately to shut his eyes on these