"And here I have lain concealed. I don't say where; the secret is too good. For ten months I lay like a rat. For the last two I have gone out only after midnight. To-day is the first trip into the blessed sun." "Do you dare to risk it even now?" Barabant cried. "Yes, now. Everything is arranged," he answered carelessly. "It was a little long coming, but it came." But suddenly Nicole, remembering, exclaimed: "Barabant, you must warn him that Javogues is back." "Back!" Dossonville repeated. "When did he leave?" Barabant, in his turn, recounted the arrest and disappearance of the Marseillais, concluding: "He reappeared with the rise of the Terrorists." "Aïe, aïe!" Dossonville cried, having followed the recital with interest; "I cannot say that the situation is pleasant for the Citoyen Goursac." A shadow passed over the brow of the young man, and he answered bitterly: "I was a fool. We should have crushed the monster when we had him." "There's good in him." "What! You say it?" "He wanted to cut my throat," Dossonville replied; "but that's nothing. He is sincere. It is true, from his point of view, there are not three men who should be alive in France to-day; but that is only a prejudice. I am keeping you; where are you bound?" "To the Convention." "Always a Girondin?" "Well," Barabant answered doubtfully, "the Girondins had their chance, and they could not control the Convention." "I say it's their own fault if they fall," Nicole interjected hastily. "Nicole, you are right," Dossonville replied. "Moreover, they are about to lose their heads." He drew his finger across his neck. "In a political party, that's a grave failing." "What, guillotine the Girondins!" Barabant exclaimed. "Guillotine Vergniaud, Brissot,--they would never dare!" "Bah! you look upon it too seriously," Dossonville retorted. "What is the guillotine? Simply a vote of censure. But Louison--where can I find her?" "At the Prêtre Pendu," Nicole answered. "You'll find her there about noon. That is, if there is no execution this afternoon." "The Prêtre Pendu? Don't know it." "It opened lately in the Rue Maugout, opposite No. 38." "You call it--" "The Prêtre Pendu." "Charming!" "I warn you, Javogues will be there." "You are positive?" "Absolutely." "Good. Then I'll set out at once." II DOSSONVILLE EARNS A KISS Dossonville, taking the river bank, proceeded with many inquiring halts, inhaling the air and sunshine in full breaths. He strolled into the halles, where the stalls, in state of siege, extended in long, deserted barracks; no buying, no selling, no provisions, only in the shadows the same clusters of limp basking beggars, slumbering with one ear alert.