"To succeed in what?" demanded Nanon; "we understand one another this time, do we not; there is no ghastly practical joke between us?" "To succeed in saving the unfortunate Canolles." Nanon gazed at him with terrifying intensity. "He is lost, is he not?" "Alas!" was the reply; "if you ask me for my honest, outspoken opinion, I admit that the prospect is dark." "How indifferently he says it!" cried Nanon. "Do you know, wretch, what that man is to me?" "I know that he is a man whom you prefer to your brother, since you would have saved him rather than me, and when you saw me you welcomed me with a curse." Nanon made an impatient gesture. "_Pardieu!_ you are right," said Cauvignac; "I do not say that by way of reproach, but as a simple observation; for look you, with my hand upon my heart--I do not say upon my conscience, for fear I have none--I declare that if we were together once more in the cell in Château-Trompette, knowing what I know, I would say to Monsieur de Canolles, 'Monsieur, Nanon calls you her brother; it is you they seek, not I,'--and he would come to you in my place, and I would die in his." "Then he is to die!" cried Nanon in a burst of grief, which proves that in the best organized minds death never presents itself as a certainty, but always as a fear simply; "then he is to die!" "Sister," Cauvignac replied, "this is all that I can tell you, and upon it we must base all that we do. In the two hours since I left Bordeaux many things may have happened; but do not despair, for it is equally true that absolutely nothing at all may have happened. Here is an idea that has come into my head." "Tell it me, quickly." "I have a hundred men and my lieutenant within a league of Bordeaux." "A sure man?" "Ferguzon." "Well?" "Well, sister, whatever Monsieur de Bouillon may say, whatever Monsieur de La Rochefoucauld may do, whatever Madame la Princesse may think, who deems herself a far greater captain than her two generals, I have an idea that, with my hundred men, half of whom I will sacrifice, I can make my way to Monsieur de Canolles." "Oh! you deceive yourself, brother; you will never get to him; you will never get to him!" "But I will, _morbleu!_ or I will die in the attempt!" "Alas! your death would prove your good-will, but it would not save him. He is lost! he is lost!" "But I tell you no, even if I have to give myself up in his place," cried Cauvignac, in a burst of quasi-generosity that surprised himself. "Give yourself up!" "Yes, to be sure; for no one has any reason to hate Monsieur de Canolles; on the other hand, every one loves him, while I am universally detested." "Why should you be detested?" "For the simplest of reasons; because I have the honor to be bound to you by the closest ties of blood. Forgive me, my dear sister, but what I say is extremely flattering to a good royalist." "Wait a moment," said Nanon, putting her finger on her lips. "I am listening."