Had a cannon suddenly exploded at Chauvelin’s feet he would, I think, have felt less unnerved.  For the space of two heart-beats he stood there, rooted to the spot, his eyes glued on his arch-enemy, that execrated Scarlet Pimpernel, whose mocking glance, even through the intervening gloom, seemed to have deprived him of consciousness.  But that phase of helplessness only lasted for a moment; the next, all the marvellous possibilities of this encounter flashed through the Terrorist’s keen mind.

Everything was ready; the trap was set!  The unfortunate Clamettes were still the bait which now would bring a far more noble quarry into the mesh than ever he—­Chauvelin—­had dared to hope.

He raised his pistol, ready to fire.  But already Sir Percy Blakeney was on him, and with a swift movement, which the other was too weak to resist, he wrenched the weapon from his enemy’s grasp.

“Why, how hasty you are, my dear M. Chambertin,” he said lightly.  “Surely you are not in such a hurry to put a demmed bullet into me!”

The position now was one which would have made even a braver man than Chauvelin quake.  He stood alone and unarmed in face of an enemy from whom he could expect no mercy.  But, even so, his first thought was not of escape.  He had not only apprised his own danger, but also the immense power which he held whilst the Clamettes remained as hostages in the hands of his colleague Lebel.

“You have me at a disadvantage, Sir Percy,” he said, speaking every whit as coolly as his foe.  “But only momentarily.  You can kill me, of course; but if I do not return from this expedition not only safe and sound, but with a certain packet of papers in my hands, my colleague Lebel has instructions to proceed at once against the girl Clamette and the whole family.”

“I know that well enough,” rejoined Sir Percy with a quaint laugh.  “I know what venomous reptiles you and those of your kidney are.  You certainly do owe your life at the present moment to the unfortunate girl whom you are persecuting with such infamous callousness.”

Chauvelin drew a sigh of relief.  The situation was shaping itself more to his satisfaction already.  Through the gloom he could vaguely discern the Englishman’s massive form standing a few paces away, one hand buried in his breeches pockets, the other still holding the pistol.  On the ground close by the hearth was the small lanthorn, and in its dim light the packet of papers gleamed white and tempting in the darkness.  Chauvelin’s keen eyes had fastened on it, saw the form of receipt for money with Heriot’s signature, which he recognised, on the top.