He kissed Mario several times with deep emotion, and went down to the lower floor. "What have you determined upon and where are you going?" Lucilio's expressive eyes inquired. "I am going to Ars to finish the investigation. And after that, eh? After that, if there is occasion to do so, I shall concert measures with Guillaume to prevent the traitor's escape, and return and advise with you as to our next move. _Au revoir_ for a time, my dear friend." Lucilio sighed as he looked after the marquis. He seemed to him to be intent upon some more serious project than he had admitted in his programme. While the marquis, without haste, was making his preparations for departure, Guillaume and D'Alvimar, the latter attended by Sancho, the other by his escort of four men-at-arms, were riding slowly toward the château of Ars, by the lower road; that is to say, the road that leaves the plateau of Le Chaumois on the right and passes quite near La Châtre. As the moon had not risen, and Guillaume's horses were very tired, they could not travel very quickly. D'Alvimar took advantage of this circumstance to ride a little in advance with his squire, as if involuntarily, because their horses were fresher. Then, slackening his pace, he said: "Sancho, you did not leave anything belonging to me at Briantes?" "I never forget anything, Antonio." "Yes, you do; you forget daggers and leave them in the bodies of the people you kill." "That reproach again?" "I have my reasons for making it to-day. My horse no longer goes lame, but do you think he is in condition to take a long journey to-night?" "Yes. What is there new?" "Listen carefully and try to understand quickly. The _peddler_ was a gentleman, the Marquis de Bois-Doré's brother. The knife that you used is in that old man's possession. He has sworn vengeance, and he accuses us on the testimony of some witness, I know not whom." "The Moorish woman." "Why the Moorish woman?" "Because those accursed creatures always bring misfortune." "If you have no other reason----" "I have others; I will tell you what they are." "Yes, later. We must consider now how we are to leave this neighborhood without any further explanation with that old idiot. I told him enough to induce him to be patient. He expects me to-morrow." "For a duel?" "No; he is too old!" "But he is very cunning; are you anxious to rot in some dungeon in his château? No matter, I will go there with you, if you go." "I shall not go. A certain prophecy makes me very prudent. When we are within a short distance of that little town of which you see the lights yonder, leave the escort, disappear, and return a quarter of an hour later and say that someone in the town handed you a letter for me. I will go to the château of Ars before reading it, but, as soon as I have read it, I will say to Monsieur d'Ars that I must go away at once. Do you understand?" "I understand." "Let us wait for Monsieur d'Ars then, and display no haste."