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Both misers listened。 A moment after the 〃Hush！〃 uttered by Cornelius；
a noise produced by the steps of several men echoed in the distance on
the other side of the moat of the town。
〃It is the Plessis guard on their rounds；〃 said the sister。
〃Give me the key of the apprentice's room；〃 said Cornelius。
The old woman made a gesture as if to take the lamp。
〃Do you mean to leave us alone； without light？〃 cried Cornelius； in a
meaning tone of voice。 〃At your age can't you see in the dark？ It
isn't difficult to find a key。〃
The sister understood the meaning hidden beneath these words and left
the room。 Looking at this singular creature as she walked towards the
door； Philippe Goulenoire was able to hide from Cornelius the glance
which he hastily cast about the room。 It was wainscoted in oak to the
chair…strip； and the walls above were hung with yellow leather stamped
with black arabesques； but what struck the young man most was a match…
lock pistol with its formidable trigger。 This new and terrible weapon
lay close to Cornelius。
〃How do you expect to earn your living with me？〃 said the latter。
〃I have but little money；〃 replied Philippe； 〃but I know good tricks
in business。 If you will pay me a sou on every mark I earn for you；
that will satisfy me。〃
〃A sou！ a sou！〃 echoed the miser； 〃why； that's a good deal！〃
At this moment the old sibyl returned with the key。
〃Come；〃 said Cornelius to Philippe。
The pair went out beneath the portico and mounted a spiral stone
staircase； the round well of which rose through a high turret； beside
the hall in which they had been sitting。 At the first floor up the
young man paused。
〃No； no；〃 said Cornelius。 〃The devil！ this nook is the place where the
king takes his ease。〃
The architect had constructed the room given to the apprentice under
the pointed roof of the tower in which the staircase wound。 It was a
little room； all of stone； cold and without ornament of any kind。 The
tower stood in the middle of the facade on the courtyard； which； like
the courtyards of all provincial houses； was narrow and dark。 At the
farther end； through an iron railing； could be seen a wretched garden
in which nothing grew but the mulberries which Cornelius had
introduced。 The young nobleman took note of all this through the
loopholes on the spiral staircase； the moon casting； fortunately； a
brilliant light。 A cot； a stool； a mismatched pitcher and basin formed
the entire furniture of the room。 The light could enter only through
square openings； placed at intervals in the outside wall of the tower；
according； no doubt； to the exterior ornamentation。
〃Here is your lodging；〃 said Cornelius； 〃it is plain and solid and
contains all that is needed for sleep。 Good night！ Do not leave this
room as THE OTHERS did。〃
After giving his apprentice a last look full of many meanings；
Cornelius double…locked the door； took away the key and descended the
staircase； leaving the young nobleman as much befooled as a bell…
founder when on opening his mould he finds nothing。 Alone； without
light； seated on a stool； in a little garret from which so many of his
predecessors had gone to the scaffold； the young fellow felt like a
wild beast caught in a trap。 He jumped upon the stool and raised
himself to his full height in order to reach one of the little
openings through which a faint light shone。 Thence he saw the Loire；
the beautiful slopes of Saint…Cyr； the gloomy marvels of Plessis；
where lights were gleaming in the deep recesses of a few windows。 Far
in the distance lay the beautiful meadows of Touraine and the silvery
stream of her river。 Every point of this lovely nature had； at that
moment； a mysterious grace； the windows； the waters； the roofs of the
houses shone like diamonds in the trembling light of the moon。 The
soul of the young seigneur could not repress a sad and tender emotion。
〃Suppose it is my last farewell！〃 he said to himself。
He stood there； feeling already the terrible emotions his adventure
offered him； and yielding to the fears of a prisoner who；
nevertheless； retains some glimmer of hope。 His mistress illumined
each difficulty。 To him she was no longer a woman； but a supernatural
being seen through the incense of his desires。 A feeble cry； which he
fancied came from the hotel de Poitiers； restored him to himself and
to a sense of his true situation。 Throwing himself on his pallet to
reflect on his course； he heard a slight movement which echoed faintly
from the spiral staircase。 He listened attentively； and the whispered
words； 〃He has gone to bed；〃 said by the old woman； reached his ear。
By an accident unknown probably to the architect； the slightest noise
on the staircase sounded in the room of the apprentices； so that
Philippe did not lose a single movement of the miser and his sister
who were watching him。 He undressed； lay down； pretended to sleep； and
employed the time during which the pair remained on the staircase； in
seeking means to get from his prison to the hotel de Poitiers。
About ten o'clock Cornelius and his sister； convinced that their new
inmate was sleeping； retired to their rooms。 The young man studied
carefully the sounds they made in doing so； and thought he could
recognize the position of their apartments； they must； he believed；
occupy the whole second floor。 Like all the houses of that period；
this floor was next below the roof； from which its windows projected；
adorned with spandrel tops that were richly sculptured。 The roof
itself was edged with a sort of balustrade； concealing the gutters for
the rain water which gargoyles in the form of crocodile's heads
discharged into the street。 The young seigneur； after studying this
topography as carefully as a cat； believed he could make his way from
the tower to the roof； and thence to Madame de Vallier's by the
gutters and the help of a gargoyle。 But he did not count on the
narrowness of the loopholes of the tower； it was impossible to pass
through them。 He then resolved to get out upon the roof of the house
through the window of the staircase on the second floor。 To accomplish
this daring project he must leave his room； and Cornelius had carried
off the key。
By way of precaution； the young man had brought with him； concealed
under his clothes； one of those poignards formerly used to give the
〃coup de grace〃 in a duel when the vanquished adversary begged the
victor to despatch him。 This horrible weapon had on one side a blade
sharpened like a razor； and on the other a blade that was toothed like
a saw； but toothed in the reverse direction from that by which it
would enter the body。 The young man determined to use this latter
blade to saw through the wood around the lock。 Happily for him the
staple of the lock was put on to the outside of the door by four stout
screws。 By the help of his dagger he managed； not without great
difficulty； to unscrew and remove it altogether； carefully laying it
aside and the four screws with it。 By midnight he was free； and he
went down the stairs without his shoes to reconnoitre the localities。
He was not a little astonished to find a door wide open which led down
a corridor to several chambers； at the end of which corridor was a
window opening on a depression caused by the junction of the roofs of
the hotel de Poitiers and that of the Malemaison which met there。
Nothing could express his joy； unless it be the vow which he instantly
made to the Blessed Virgin to found a mass in her honor in the
celebrated parish church of the Escrignoles at Tours。 After examining
the tall broad chimneys of the hotel de Poitiers he returned upon his
steps to fetch his dagger； when to his horror； he beheld a vivid light
on the staircase and saw Maitre Cornelius himself in his dalmatian；
carrying a lamp； his eyes open to their fullest extent and fixed upon
the corridor； at the entrance of which he stood like a spectre。
〃If I open the window and jump upon the roofs； he will hear me；〃
thought the young man。
The terrible old miser advanced； like the hour of death to a criminal。
In this extremity Philippe； instigated by love； recovered his presence
of mind； he slipped into a doorway； pressing himself back into the
angle of it； and awaited the old man。 When Cornelius； holding his lamp
in advance of him； came into line with the current of air which the
young man could send from his lungs； the lamp was blown out。 Cornelius
muttered vague words and swore a Dutch oath； but he turned and
retraced his steps。 The young man then rushed to his room； caught up
his dagger and returned to the blessed window； opened it softly and
jumped upon the roof。
Once at liberty under the open sky； he felt weak； so happy was he。
Perhaps the extreme agitation of his danger of the boldness of the
enterprise caused his emotion； victory is often as perilous as battle。
He leaned against th