“Scoundrel!  Why, you pretty fool—­it is your own expression, so let me use it—­do you imagine I should tell the truth to Legrand?  His own cupidity ruins him.  Half the tale is true, the other half—­why, Pauline, is it not the very scheme I told you of?  I had hoped to rise to power in Paris; that I cannot do, but I have the money, and Pauline Vaison will join me across the Belgian frontier.”

“You only have half the money, Lucien, Legrand is to have the other half.  It is his little fee.”

“Now you have come we may cheat him,” said Bruslart, quickly.

“Yes, a very excellent plan, but it won’t work, my friend.  I had none of this story from Legrand.  Your money holds him faithful.  He will be back in an hour, and in two hours you may perhaps be out of Paris.”

Bruslart looked at her, realizing the full extent of his danger for the first time.

“That is an awkward riddle for you to read, isn’t it?” she said.  “It is an unpleasant position, as unpleasant as mine when they arrested me in the place of Mademoiselle St. Clair, and my lover took no steps to set the mistake right; as unpleasant as when my escape from the Abbaye forced you to hide from me.  That is why you ran away, Lucien.  You were afraid of me.  Now I have found you, and mademoiselle has really escaped out of your clutches.  It is a very awkward position, Lucien.  I do not see how you are going to wriggle out of it.”

“The way is plain, let us arrange everything before Legrand returns,” said Bruslart.

“There is nothing to arrange.  This little cockloft does not fill the whole of this upper story.  There is another attic on the other side of that partition, with a cupboard in it.  Standing in the cupboard, with the ear against the woodwork, one can hear all that is said here, and if you look in that partition you will find a crack, through which nearly the whole of this place can be seen.  You may take my word for it, I have lived on the other side since Wednesday night.  Your own servant betrayed your hiding-place to me, for a ridiculously small sum.  Your worth is not great even in his eyes.”

“Be sensible, Pauline.  I will—­”

“Pay me for secrecy?  Will you give me the other half of mademoiselle’s money?”

“I said, be sensible.  Come with me, join me on the road to the frontier.  It is what I have intended all along.”

“It’s a lie!”

The woman was suddenly alive with passion—­dangerous, and Bruslart knew it.

“You are not polite,” he said.

“I am better than that; I am honest.”

“Be sensible as well.  The time is short.  Sit down and let us arrange quickly.”

“I have told you, there is nothing to arrange,” she answered.

“Once for all, will you come?  Yes or no,” he said angrily.

“No.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Pay, Lucien, pay.  Legrand will return, but he will not find you.”