"You have nothing to fear, Helene; besides, in a few minutes I will return and fetch you." The young girl held out her hand, which Gaston pressed to his lips; the door opened; the carriage drove into the courtyard, where Gaston felt that Helene ran no danger; the man who had come to the hotel to fetch him opened the carriage door; Gaston again pressed Helene's hand, alighted, ascended the steps, and entered the corridor, when his guide left him as before. Gaston, knowing that Helene waited his return, at once tapped at the door of the room. "Enter," said the voice of the false Spaniard. Gaston knew the voice, entered, and with a calm face approached the Duc d'Olivares. "You are punctual, monsieur," said the latter; "we named noon, and it is now striking." "I am pressed for time, monseigneur; my undertaking weighs on me; I fear to feel remorse. That astonishes and alarms you, does it not, monseigneur? But reassure yourself; the remorse of a man such as I am troubles no one but himself." "In truth, monsieur," cried the regent, with a feeling of joy he could not quite conceal, "I think you are drawing back." "Not so, monseigneur; since fate chose me to strike the prince, I have gone steadily forward, and shall do so till my mission is accomplished." "Monsieur, I thought I detected some hesitation in your words; and words are of weight in certain mouths, and under certain circumstances." "Monsieur, in Bretagne we speak as we feel, but we also do as we promise." "Then you are resolved?" "More than ever." "Because, you see," replied the regent, "there is still time--the evil is not yet done." "The evil, you call it, monseigneur," said Gaston; "what shall I call it then?" "It is thus that I meant it," replied the regent; "the evil is for you, since you feel remorse." "It is not generous, monseigneur, to dwell on a confidence which I should not have made to any person of less merit than yourself." "And it is because I appreciate your worth, monsieur, that I tell you there is yet time to draw back; that I ask if you have reflected--if you repent having mixed yourself with all these--" the duke hesitated--"these audacious enterprises. Fear nothing from me--I will protect you, even if you desert us; I have seen you but once, but I think I judge of you as you deserve--men of worth are so rare that the regrets will be for us." "Such kindness overwhelms me, monseigneur," said Gaston, who, in spite of his courage, felt some indecision. "My prince, I do not hesitate; but my reflections are those of a duelist, who goes to the ground determined to kill his enemy, yet deploring the necessity which forces him to rob a man of life. But here the interest is so great, so superior to the weaknesses of our nature, that I will be true to my friendship if not my sympathies, and will conduct myself so that you shall esteem in me even the momentary weakness which for a second held back my arm." "Well," said the regent, "how shall you proceed?"