“Either that, or I should have got myself killed along with him.”

“At all events, you were not there, so that the poor devil breathed his last in an obscure tavern, and in doing so pronounced Dom Modeste’s name; is not that so?”

“Yes.”

“Whereupon the people there informed Dom Modeste of it?”

“A man, seemingly scared out of his wits, who threw the whole convent into consternation.”

“And Dom Modeste sent for his litter, and hastened to ’La Corne d’Abondance.’”

“How do you know that?”

“Oh! you don’t know me yet, my boy; I am somewhat of a sorcerer, I can tell you.”

Jacques drew back a couple of steps.

“That is not all,” continued Chicot, who, as he spoke, began to see clearer by the light of his own words; “a letter was found in the dead man’s pocket.”

“A letter—­yes, precisely so.”

“And Dom Modeste charged his little Jacques to carry that letter to its address.”

“Yes.”

“And the little Jacques ran immediately to the Hotel de Guise.”

“Oh!”

“Where he found no one.”

“Bon Dieu!”

“But Monsieur de Mayneville.”

“Good gracious!”

“And which same Monsieur de Mayneville conducted Jacques to the hostelry of the ‘Brave Chevalier.’”

“Monsieur Briquet!  Monsieur Briquet!” cried Jacques, “if you know that—­”

“Eh! ventre de biche! you see very well that I do know it,” exclaimed Chicot, feeling triumphant at having disentangled this secret, which was of such importance for him to learn, from the provoking intricacies in which it had been at first involved.

“In that case,” returned Jacques, “you see very well, Monsieur Briquet, that I am not guilty.”

“No,” said Chicot, “you are not guilty in act, nor in omission, but you are guilty in thought.”

“I!”

“I suppose there is no doubt you think the duchesse very beautiful?”

“I!!”

“And you turned round to look at her again through the window.”

“I!!!”

The young monk colored and stammered out:  “Well, it is true, she is exactly like a Virgin Mary which was placed over the head of my mother’s bed.”

“Oh!” muttered Chicot, “how much those people lose who are not curious!”

And thereupon he made little Clement, whom from this moment he held in his power, tell him all he had himself just told him, but this time with the details, which he could not possibly otherwise have known.

“You see,” said Chicot, when he had finished, “what a poor fencing-master you had in Frere Borromee.”

“Monsieur Briquet,” said little Jacques, “one ought not to speak ill of the dead.”

“No; but confess one thing.”

“What?”

“That Borromee did not make such good use of his sword as the man who killed him.”—­“True.”

“And now that is all I had to say to you.  Good-night, Jacques; we shall meet again soon, and if you like—­”