“‘What brought you here this morning, Dubois?’ I demanded. I knew the man well, for he is a native of this place, and never bore a very good character. He looked at me a moment and then said—‘If you will give me a hundred francs, Monsieur Plessis, and promise not to detain me or the girl Dedan, I will tell you news that may save you all from the clutches of Monsieur Gramont, who drove me out of his house two hours ago, and will be here, I expect, every moment.’ I was struck with the man’s manner, and aware how critical our situation is, I said, ‘I promise you; and if you really give me any intelligence that I consider of consequence, I will give you two hundred francs, and you and this girl Dedan, whom I suspect, shall be free to go where you like.’ “‘Well, then,’ said Dubois, ‘the two hundred francs are mine. The man that led the pretended robbers to plunder you the day you arrived here with the young demoiselles, is now lying wounded in Monsieur Gramont’s mansion; it was he who induced the coast-guard to endeavour to secure the two Englishmen you had hid in this château. He did so whilst Monsieur Gramont was gone to Paris; he wished to catch you all trying to escape, and then arrest you.’ “‘Do you know the wounded man’s name?’ I demanded. “‘Yes,’ he replied. ‘It is Vadier; he is a desperate jacobin. He told me I should have five hundred francs if I could get the girl Dedan to tell everything that passed in the château, and all she heard; and though the girl was not willing, I at last induced her to do so.’ “I was struck at once by the name of Vadier. This, then, is the very Vadier, the galley slave, who stole the casket under the charge of the English midshipman. “‘What did Monsieur Gramont go to Paris for?’ I questioned. “‘To procure an order from Monsieur Fouché to arrest you all, and send you to Paris.’ “‘Then Monsieur Gramont was aware that this Vadier intended to plunder me as I travelled the road?’ “‘Certainly he was. It was planned between them; they wanted some papers you had.’ “‘Come,’ said I, ‘this intelligence is worth the two hundred francs; but, Antoine Dubois, you are a great rascal.’ “‘There are many more in the world,’ said the fellow, quite coolly; ‘that Vadier is one, and my late master another. They treated me scurvily, and so let them take the consequence.’ “‘If he catches you after this disclosure, he will make you pay for it.’ “‘Ah, ça! He must catch me first. Have I earned the money?’ “‘Yes,’ said I; ‘whether it will do you good or not I cannot say. There it is,’ and I gave it him. ‘Now, where are you going?’ “‘If you intend stating what I have told you to Monsieur Gramont,’ said Dubois, ‘you may say I am gone to Havre. I only require an hour’s start. You will let the girl Dedan go?’ “‘Yes. She is a bad girl; but you made her so. She shall be dismissed.’