When Barabant had groped his way up the tortuous ascent, he was surprised to find his door open, sending a feeble glow over the remainder of his journey. He crossed the threshold on tiptoe, and, to his amazement, beheld a man, in the uniform of the National Guard, stretched out upon his bed, and two lank legs that, over-lapping, were perched on the footboards. He came forward, advanced another step, and recognized Dossonville. Barabant, believing him to be shamming, went softly to the farther corner and installed himself to wait. But the steady, tranquil breathing of the sleeper soon convinced him. With a sudden inspiration, he stole to the threshold, grasping the handle of the door. The next moment there thundered upon the slumberer the cry: "Arrest him! The aristocrat!" As though propelled from a catapult, the lank form in one bound shot over the end of the bed, threw two chairs in front of him as a rampart, snatched out his sword, and beheld, in this bellicose posture, no horrid band of Jacobins, but the lithe figure of Barabant, laughing silently, with folded arms. "Tonnerre de Dieu! Why did you do that?" Dossonville returned the sword to the scabbard, pushed aside the rampart, and extended his hand, saying, "I was asleep; serves me right; but you have a rude manner of jesting." "I did not suspect your conscience was so uneasy," Barabant said, retaining the quizzical smile. "Oho!" With his lips in this startled oval, Dossonville halted. His eyes contracted into slits as he said dryly, "So that was a ruse." "If you like." "Hello! it was well conceived. Tiens, tiens, tiens!" His eyes continued their scrutiny. "I have, perhaps, not done justice to your acumen. My compliments and my excuses." He swung his bonnet in a long, awkward, trailing swoop across his feet. Barabant executed a bow of equal assurance. Dossonville returned to uprightness with a snap of his heels, and a certain asperity rang in the next question. "And why did you deem the experiment necessary?" "Before intrusting my safety I prefer to reassure myself." "You saw that at the cry of 'aristocrats' I sprang to my guard." "I said 'the aristocrat.'" "I understood, 'Arrest him, aristocrats!'" The two men, Dossonville cool, Barabant amused, measured looks, until, dismissing the subject with a motion of his arm, Dossonville seated himself. "Well, what do they say of me?" Barabant, who did not intend to surrender his vantage, straddled his chair, rested his arms on the back, and, looking him magisterially in countenance, answered: "Citoyen Dossonville, you seem to be a mystery. No one knows where to place you. You consort with patriots and traitors alike." Dossonville, facing this accusation, appeared to reflect a moment.