I had resolved that if ever I succeeded in persuading Mdlle.  X. C. V. to make use of my specific I would use nothing but honey, so the composition of the aroph would not be a very complicated process.  But if one point was then plain and simple, another remained to be solved, and its solution gave me some difficulty.  I should have to pass several nights in continual toils.  I feared I had promised more than I could perform, and I should not be able to make any abatement without hazarding, not the success of the aroph, but the bliss I had taken such pains to win.  Again, as her younger sister slept in the same room with her and close to her, the operation could not be performed there.  At last chance—­a divinity which often helps lovers—­came to my aid.

I was obliged to climb up to the fourth floor and met the scullion on my way, who guessed where I was going, and begged me not to go any farther as the place was taken.

“But,” said I, “you have just come out of it.”

“Yes, but I only went in and came out again.”

“Then I will wait till the coast is clear.”

“For goodness’ sake, sir, do not wait!”

“Ah, you rascal!  I see what is going on.  Well I will say nothing about it, but I must see her.”

“She won’t come out, for she heard your steps and shut herself in.”

“She knows me, does she?”

“Yes, and you know her.”

“All right, get along with you!  I won’t say anything about it.”

He went down, and the idea immediately struck me that the adventure might be useful to me.  I went up to the top, and through a chink I saw Madelaine, Mdlle.  X. C. V.’s maid.  I reassured her, and promised to keep the secret, whereon she opened the door, and after I had given her a louis, fled in some confusion.  Soon after, I came down, and the scullion who was waiting for me on the landing begged me to make Madelaine give him half the louis.

“I will give you one all to yourself,” said I, “if you will tell me the story”—­an offer which pleased the rogue well enough.  He told me the tale of his loves, and said he always spent the night with her in the garret, but that for three days they had been deprived of their pleasures, as madam had locked the door and taken away the key.  I made him shew me the place, and looking through the keyhole I saw that there was plenty of room for a mattress.  I gave the scullion a Louis, and went away to ripen my plans.

It seemed to me that there was no reason why the mistress should not sleep in the garret as well as the maid.  I got a picklock and several skeleton keys, I put in a tin box several doses of the aroph-that is, some honey mixed with pounded stag’s horn to make it thick enough, and the next morning I went to the “Hotel de Bretagne,” and immediately tried my picklock.  I could have done without it, as the first skeleton key I tried opened the wornout lock.

Proud of my idea, I went down to see Mdlle.  X. C. V., and in a few words told her the plan.