“Never alter that! there you are quite mistaken,” said Manon.  “I cannot stay to convince you now—­but this I can tell you:  that I know secrets that you don’t suspect.”

“I do not wish to know any of your secrets, Manon,” said Victoire, proudly.

“Your pride may be humbled, Citoyenne Victoire, sooner than you expect,” exclaimed Manon, who was now so provoked by her cousin’s contempt that she could not refrain from boasting of her political knowledge.  “I can tell you that your fine friends will in a few days not be able to protect you.  The Abbe Tracassier is in love with a dear friend of mine, and I know all the secrets of state from her—­and I know what I know.  Be as incredulous as you please, but you will see that, before this week is at end, Monsieur de Fleury will be guillotined, and then what will become of you?  Good morning, my proud cousin.”

Shocked by what she had just heard, Victoire could scarcely believe that Manon was in earnest; she resolved, however, to go immediately and communicate this intelligence, whether true or false, to Madame de Fleury.  It agreed but too well with other circumstances, which alarmed this lady for the safety of her husband.  A man of his abilities, integrity, and fortune, could not in such times hope to escape persecution.  He was inclined to brave the danger; but his lady represented that it would not be courage, but rashness and folly, to sacrifice his life to the villainy of others, without probability or possibility of serving his country by his fall.

Monsieur de Fleury, in consequence of these representations, and of Victoire’s intelligence, made his escape from Paris; and the very next day placards were put up in every street, offering a price for the head of Citoyen Fleury, suspected of incivisme.

Struck with terror and astonishment at the sight of these placards, the children read them as they returned in the evening from school; and little Babet in the vehemence of her indignation mounted a lamplighter’s ladder, and tore down one of the papers.  This imprudent action did not pass unobserved:  it was seen by one of the spies of Citoyen Tracassier, a man who, under the pretence of zeal pour la chose publique, gratified without scruple his private resentments and his malevolent passions.  In his former character of an abbe, and a man of wit, he had gained admittance into Madame de Fleury’s society.  There he attempted to dictate both as a literary and religious despot.  Accidentally discovering that Madame de Fleury had a little school for poor children, he thought proper to be offended, because he had not been consulted respecting the regulations, and because he was not permitted, as he said, to take the charge of this little flock.  He made many objections to Sister Frances, as being an improper person to have the spiritual guidance of these young people; but as he was unable to give any just reason for his dislike, Madame de Fleury persisted in her