"There, Madame Teutch," said he. "It is well to foresee every emergency in these times. If I am arrested, you must send that note to citizen Saint-Just." "Good Lord! Poor little fellow, if such a mishap should befall you, I promise you to take it myself, and even if I have to wait all night in the anteroom I won't give it to any one but him." "That is all that is necessary; and on the strength of that, citizeness Teutch, kiss me and sleep well--I will try to do the same." Madame Teutch kissed her guest, and went away, murmuring: "In God's truth, there are no more children; here is one challenging citizen Tétrell, and the other demanding to be brought before citizen Saint-Just!" Madame Teutch closed the door. Charles blew out the light and went to sleep. The next morning, about eight o'clock, he was busy arranging his papers, which were more or less in disorder from the visitation of the previous night, when citizeness Teutch rushed into his room, crying: "Here they are! here they are!" "Who?" asked Charles. "The police, who have come to arrest you, poor dear child!" Charles quickly concealed in the bosom of his shirt the second letter which his father had given him--the one to Pichegru; for he feared that it might be taken from him and not returned. The police entered and informed the boy of the object of their visit. Charles declared himself ready to follow them. As he passed the citizeness Teutch, he gave her a look, which signified: "Don't forget!" She replied by a slight movement of the head, which meant: "Don't be afraid." The police led the way on foot. They were obliged to pass before Euloge Schneider's house in order to reach the prison. For a moment Charles thought of asking to be led before the man to whom he had brought a letter of recommendation, and with whom he had dined the day previous; but he saw the guillotine before the door, and near it an empty carriage, while on the doorstep stood Master Nicholas. Remembering what had occurred there, he shook his head in disgust, murmuring as he did so: "Poor Mademoiselle de Brumpt! God help her!" The boy believed in God; it is true he was but a child. CHAPTER X SCHNEIDER'S JOURNEY Scarcely had Charles and the men who were conducting him passed Schneider's door than it opened, and the Commissioner of the Republic came out, glanced tenderly at the instrument of death, packed neatly in a cart, made a slight sign of friendly greeting to Master Nicholas, and got into the empty carriage. Standing there for an instant, he said to Master Nicholas: "And you?" The latter pointed to a sort of cab that was rapidly approaching which contained two men, his assistants; the cab was his own conveyance. Everything was in readiness--the accuser, the executioner, and the guillotine.