I STOOD for a moment dazed by this unexpected blow, for which I had been wholly unprepared. From what direction had it come? Clearly not from Ribaut, since I had been with him all the time. From whom, then? And in an instant I remembered the mysterious actions of the old woman who had fallen over my feet the night before. I ran down the stairs like the wind, and as I reached the court I perceived her sitting in her ruinous little lodge. I drew my sword, threw the door open and entered. “Madame,” I said, with all the calmness I could muster, “you will tell me at once what has happened to the lady who was in my room.” She crouched back in her chair away from the point at her throat and looked at me with venomous eyes. “I know nothing about it,” she snarled. “You will have to look elsewhere, my fine blade.” “No lies!” I said sharply. “You cannot deceive me. She could not have been carried off without you seeing it, even if you did not lend a hand.” “Carried off, indeed!” she retorted with a sneer. “And what if she had simply grown weary of you and took the first chance to escape? On my word, I should not blame her!” “She did not go away of her own will,” I said, quite positively. “She was carried away. Tell me what you saw.” “I saw nothing,” she repeated sullenly. “Very well,” I said between my teeth, “it seems you are prepared to die, then. Say your prayers. Commend your soul to God, if you possess one, for I warn you that I will kill you as I would a snake, without an instant’s hesitation.” She looked at me for a moment, her eyes glittering, her face livid, her mouth working convulsively. She licked her lips and swallowed with an effort. “Come,” I repeated, “you have nothing more to say then?” and my sword quivered in my hand. She saw I was in earnest. “I will tell you what I know, Monsieur,” she said at last. “Good. That is the only way to save your life,” and I lowered my point. “If I find you lying to me, you shall die none the less surely.” “All that I know, Monsieur, is that ten minutes after you had left three men entered. One remained on guard here, while the others mounted the stair. In a moment they returned, bringing the lady with them. Despite her struggles, they placed her in a coach which was waiting in the street, and drove away as fast as their horses could take them.” “And who were these men?” I asked. “Where did they take the girl?” “I do not know, Monsieur.” “You lie!” I cried fiercely. “It was you who set them on! It was you who told them she was alone! Tell me who they were!” She was snarling again from the depths of her chair, and I looked at her in disgust. “Come,” I repeated after a moment, “you must tell me. There is no way of escaping it.” I saw her glance past me into the court, and heard footsteps on the stones without. I turned to see two men standing there. “Is there a gentleman lodged here by the name of Pierre le Moyne?” asked one of them. “That is my name,” I answered.