“Haul up the man!” he said, coolly and peremptorily. His office procured him some respect and more fear. Our fellows had no stomach but to obey, and they came to the windlass, muttering, and wound their victim up to the surface. He was a pitiable sight when he reached it. They had trussed him to the rope with a savagery to which his swollen joints bore witness, and, with a refinement of cruelty, had cut the bucket from under his feet, that the full weight of his body should hang without support. In this condition they had then lowered him up to his neck in the black water. He fell, when released, a sodden moaning heap on the stones. “And what was to be the end?” asked Crépin. “Citizen _Représentant_, we could not decide; yet a show of hands was in favour of singeing over a slow fire. Grace of God! but it would seem the accused has forestalled the jury.” He had not, however. “Give him brandy,” said Crépin; “and bring him to the shed yonder, when recovered, for the _procès verbal_.” He took my arm, and we went off together to the place designated,--an outbuilding half full of fagots. On the way he beckoned the crying _aubergiste_, who had followed him into the yard, to attend us. “For the present the man is saved,” he said to her when we were alone. “Now, what is your interest in the rascal?” “Monsieur, he was an honest man once.” “Of the neighbourhood?” She looked up at him with her little imploring red eyes. “Come,” he said; “I owe you the debt of a grateful digestion.” “Of the château,” she said faintly. “What château?” “Des Pierrettes, monsieur.” Crépin, as I, I could see, was beating his brains for some memory connected with the name. “In Février’s _café_!” I said suddenly. Should it prove the same, for the third time destiny seemed bringing me into touch with a lady of this history. “Ah!” he said. “But it is not on my list. In what direction does it lie, girl?” “Monsieur, two leagues away, off the Libourne road by the lane of the Marron Cornu.” “And who inhabits it?” The poor girl looked infinitely distressed. “It is M. de Lâge and his niece. You will not make me the instrument to harm them, monsieur. They are patriots, I will swear. Monsieur, monsieur!” “Silence, girl! What are you to question the methods of the Republic? It is a good recommendation at least that they commission a footpad to patrol the neighbourhood.” “It is none of their doing. Oh, monsieur, will you not believe me? He was an honest servant of theirs till this religion of Reason drove him to the crooked path. And he has been dismissed this twelvemonth.” “Harkee, wench! If I read you right, you are well quit of a scoundrel.” She fell to sobbing and clucking over that again; and in the midst of her outburst the half-revived felon was hustled into the shed. The poor broken and collapsed creature fell at Crépin’s feet and moaned for mercy. “Give me a day of life,” he snuffled abjectly, “and I will lead you to the treasure.”