chateau of Cinq-Cygne.  By leaving Corentin alone at Gondreville during his consultation in the fields with Grevin, Malin had enabled him to fulfil part of Fouche’s orders and explore the house.  When the Councillor of State returned home he told Corentin so positively that the d’Hauteserre and Simeuse brothers were in the neighborhood and probably at Cinq-Cygne that the two agents despatched the captain with the rest of his company, who, fortunately for the four gentlemen, crossed the forest on their way to the chateau during the time when Michu was making Violette drunk.  Malin had told Corentin and Peyrade of the escape he had from lying in wait for him.  The two agents related the incident of the gun they had seen the bailiff load, and Grevin had sent Violette to obtain information as to what was going on at Michu’s house.  Corentin advised the notary to take Malin to his own house in the little town of Arcis, and let him sleep there as a measure of precaution.  At the moment when Michu and his wife were rushing through the forest on their way to Cinq-Cygne, Peyrade and Corentin were starting from Gondreville for Cinq-Cygne in a shabby wicker carriage, drawn by one post-horse driven by the corporal of Arcis, one of the shrewdest men in the Legion, whom the commandant at Troyes advised them to employ.

“The surest way to seize them all is to warn them,” said Peyrade to Corentin.  “At the moment when they are well frightened and are trying to save their papers or to escape we’ll fall upon them like a thunderbolt.  The gendarmes surround the chateau now and are as good as a net.  We sha’n’t lose one of them!”

“You had better send the mayor to warn them,” said the corporal.  “He is friendly to them and wouldn’t like to see them harmed; they won’t distrust him.”

Just as Goulard was preparing to go to bed, Corentin, who stopped the vehicle in a little wood, went to his house and told him, confidentially, that in a few moments an emissary from the government would require him to enter the chateau of Cinq-Cygne and arrest the brothers d’Hauteserre and Simeuse; and in case they had already disappeared he would have to ascertain if they had slept there the night before, search Mademoiselle de Cinq-Cygne’s papers, and, possibly, arrest both the masters and servants of the household.

“Mademoiselle de Cinq-Cygne,” said Corentin, “is undoubtedly protected by some great personages, for I have received private orders to warn her of this visit, and to do all I can to save her without compromising myself.  Once on the ground, I shall no longer be able to do so, for I am not alone; go to the chateau yourself and warn them.”

The mayor’s visit at that time of night was all the more bewildering to the card-players when they saw the agitation of his face.

“Where is the countess?” were his first words.

“She has gone to bed,” said Madame d’Hauteserre.

The mayor, incredulous, listened to noises that were heard on the upper floor.