He came to an end with an expression of triumph. The grand inquisitor and the lieutenant exchanged glances of surprise, not unmixed with alarm. There was a long pause, during which their minds were busy with reflections of various descriptions. "By the Mass, but this is admirable, I declare!" cried Démocharès, at last. "Say rather that it is terrible," observed Monsieur de Braguelonne. "We shall see; we shall see!" continued the grand inquisitor, shaking his head very knowingly. "Why," said Monsieur de Braguelonne, "we only know the schemes which this La Renaudie avows; but it is very easy to guess that nothing will come of them; that Messieurs de Guise will be on their guard; that they will all be cut in pieces; and that if his Majesty intrusts the power to the Prince de Condé, it will only be by force." "But we are forewarned!" returned Démocharès. "All that these poor fools mean to do against us will turn against themselves, and they will fall into their own trap. I promise you that Monsieur le Cardinal will be delighted, and would have paid a high price for such an opportunity of making an end of his enemies." "God grant that he may continue to be delighted to the end!" said Monsieur de Braguelonne. Addressing Lignières, who had now become a man to be treated well, an invaluable ally, and of great consequence, he said,-- "As for you, Monsieur le Marquis," (the rascal was really a marquis) "you have rendered a most valuable service to his Majesty and to the State. You shall be worthily rewarded for it, never fear!" "Yes, my word for it!" added Démocharès; "you deserve a handsome reward, Monsieur, and you possess all my esteem! To you, also, Monsieur de Braguelonne, my sincere congratulations upon your choice of agents. Ah, Monsieur de Lignières has a claim to my highest consideration, in truth!" "That is a very generous recompense for what little I have been able to do," said Lignières, bowing modestly. "You know that we are not ungrateful, Monsieur de Lignières," continued the lieutenant. "But come, you have not told us everything, have you? Did they fix a time, or a place of rendezvous?" "They are to meet in the neighborhood of Blois on the 15th of March," replied Lignières. "The 15th of March! Well, well!" exclaimed Monsieur de Braguelonne. "We have only twenty days before us, and Monsieur le Cardinal de Lorraine is at Blois! It will take about two days to notify him and receive his orders. What a responsibility!" "But what a triumph at the end!" said Démocharès. "Have you the names of the leaders, dear Monsieur de Lignières?" asked the lieutenant. "Yes, I have them written down," was the reply. "What a jewel of a man!" exclaimed Démocharès, admiringly. "He helps to reconcile me to human nature." Lignières unbuttoned an inner pocket in his doublet, and drew from it a scrap of paper, and having unfolded it, he read aloud as follows:--