try, if he will, to learn of my whereabouts and to find me. But until then, let him know as little as everybody else--yes, less than anybody else--of his father's end. Do you promise me this, Perrot! Do you swear it? I will not give myself up to your rash and, I greatly fear, fruitless devotion, except on that one condition, Perrot.' "'Do you wish it so, Monseigneur? Then I swear it.' "'Upon the cross of your sword-hilt, Perrot, Gabriel shall never know from you of this perilous mystery?' "'Upon the cross of my sword-hilt, Monseigneur!' said Perrot, his right hand held aloft. "'Thanks, my dear friend. Now do with me as you will, my faithful servant. I place my reliance on your courage and the favor of God.' "'Be self-possessed and confident, Monseigneur,' replied Perrot. 'You will soon see.' "Recalling the leader of the men-at-arms, he said,-- "'What the prisoner has said to me is satisfactory, and you may unbind him and let him go.' "'Unbind him! Let him go!' rejoined the astounded leader. "'To be sure! Such are Monsieur de Montmorency's orders.' "'Monsieur de Montmorency,' replied the man-at-arms, shaking his head, 'ordered us to keep this prisoner in sight, and said as he went away that we should answer for it with our lives. How can it be that Monsieur de Montmorency now wishes us to set the gentleman at liberty?' "'So that you refuse to obey me, who speak in his name, do you?' said Perrot, abating nothing of his assurance. "'I hesitate. See here, if you were to order me to kill the man, or to throw him into the river, or to take him to the Bastille, we would obey, but to let him go!--that, you see, is not the sort of thing we're accustomed to.' "'So be it!' replied Perrot, in no whit disconcerted. 'I have given you the orders that I received, and I wash my hands of the rest of it. You will answer to Monsieur de Montmorency for the consequences of your disobedience. As for me, there's nothing more for me to do here. Good-evening!' "And he opened the door, as if to take his leave. "'Ho, there, one moment!' said the leader; 'how quick you are! So you mean to declare that it is Monsieur de Montmorency's will that we should let this prisoner go? You are quite sure that it was Monsieur de Montmorency who sent you?' "'You idiot!' replied Perrot; 'how else should I know that he had a prisoner under guard here? Has any other person gone out to tell of it, if it was not Monsieur de Montmorency himself?' "'Well, your man shall be unbound!' said the soldier, as surly as a tiger whose prey has been torn from his grasp. 'How changeable these great lords are, _corps Dieu_!' "'Good! I will await you,' said Perrot. "He remained outside, nevertheless, on the topmost step of the staircase, with his face turned toward the stairs, and his drawn sword in his hand. If he saw the real messenger from Montmorency coming up, he must see to it that he came no farther.