It was not, however, the door of my cell that was opened, but a little wicket about a foot square, and through this there flashed again a blinding light, and the face of Babette peered in. So malign was its aspect that I shuddered in spite of myself, and then, in a fury I could not control, shouted out: 'Out of my presence, hag! Begone!' 'Oh! ho!' she laughed. 'A time will come when Monsieur will go on his two knees and pray to Babette--to good Babette--to kind Babette! In a day or so it will be thus,' and she laughed shrilly. 'But I go as you wish, to carry your refusal to the Captain.' She made a movement as if to go, but, cursing myself at very nearly having spoilt all, I burst out, 'Stay!' and she looked back. 'Monsieur!' She grinned through the wicket. 'See here,' and in my eagerness my voice was hoarse and thick; 'five hundred crowns if you free me from this, and a thousand more if you will do the same for Madame.' 'Will Monsieur add a palace in the moon to this?' 'I give you the word of d'Auriac. Fifteen hundred crowns is a fortune. They will be yours in six hours from the time you free us. Think of it--fifteen hundred crowns!' Never have I seen avarice blaze so in a face as in hers. As I dropped out the last words, she shook her head from side to side with a swaying motion of a serpent. Her eyes glittered like those of an asp, and between her half-parted lips she hissed rather than spoke to herself: 'Fif-teen hun-dred crowns! It is the price of a barony! I, who have taken life for a half-pistole!' 'You will save two lives for this,' I pleaded. But the she-devil, though sorely tempted, was faithful. What de Gomeron's power over her was I know not. I could add nothing to my offer; I had laid my all on the hazard, and it was not to be done. '_Pouf!_' she mocked, 'you do not go high enough. You do not promise the palace in the moon. But I waste my time. Is it "Yes," or "No," for the Captain?' There was another chance, and I would risk that. I made a step nearer the opening. 'Give me something to drink, and I will answer at once.' 'Ah! ha! Monsieur requires some courage. Here is a flask of Frontignac, but it is expensive, and Monsieur, I am afraid, has left his belt outside his room. The Frontignac is five crowns.' 'You forgot my pockets,' I answered. 'Here are two pistoles; hand me the wine.' 'The money first,' and she stretched out her hand. Like a flash I closed my fingers on her wrist, and drew in her hand to the full length of the arm. 'If you scream, if you utter a sound, I will tear your arm from its socket.'