“Bavois,” repeated Martial, as if to fix the name in his memory; “Bavois. Very well, I will confer with him. My father will find some pretext for having him summoned here.” “It is easy to find a pretext,” rejoined Marie-Anne. “He was left on guard at Escorval after the searching party left the house.” “That’s capital,” said Martial, walking towards his father’s chair. “I suppose,” he continued, addressing the duke, “that the baron has been separated from the other prisoners.” “Yes, he is alone, in a large, comfortable room, on the second floor of the corner tower.” “The corner tower!” said Martial, “is that the very tall one, built on the edge of the cliff, where the rock rises almost perpendicularly?” “Precisely,” answered M. de Sairmeuse, whose promptness plainly implied that he was ready to risk a good deal to enable the prisoner to escape. “What kind of a window is there in the baron’s room?” inquired Martial. “Oh, a tolerably large one, with a double row of iron bars, securely riveted into the stone walls. It overlooks the precipice.” “The deuce! The bars can easily be cut through, but that precipice is a serious difficulty, and yet, in one respect, it is an advantage, for no sentinels are stationed there, are they?” “No, never. Between the walls and the citadel and the edge of the rock there is barely standing room. The soldiers don’t venture there even in the day time.” “There is one more important question. What is the distance from M. d’Escorval’s window to the ground?” “I should say it is about forty feet from the base of the tower.” “Good! And from the base of the tower to the foot of the cliff--how far is that?” “I really scarcely know. However, I should think fully sixty feet.” “Ah, that’s terribly high; but fortunately the baron is still pretty vigorous.” The duke was growing impatient. “Now,” said he to his son, “will you be so kind as to explain your plan?” “My plan is simplicity itself,” replied Martial. “Sixty and forty are one hundred; so it is necessary to procure a hundred feet of strong rope. It will make a very large bundle; but no matter. I will twist it round me, wrap myself up in a large cloak, and accompany you to the citadel. You will send for Corporal Bavois, leave me alone with him in a quiet place; and I will explain our wishes to him.” The Duke de Sairmeuse shrugged his shoulders. “And how will you procure a hundred feet of rope at this hour in Montaignac? Will you go about from shop to shop? You might as well trumpet your project all over France at once.”