courses.Alowdooropeningfromthelaneintothegardennaturallyattractedmyattention;butitprovedtobeofabnormalstrength,andboltedbothatthetopandbottom.
Assuredthatnothingcouldbedoneonthatside,andbeingunwillingtoremainlongerintheneighbourhood,lestIshouldattractattention,Ireturnedtothestreet,andtwicewalkedpastthefrontofthehouse,seeingallIcouldwithaslittleappearanceofseeinganythingasIcouldcompass.Thefrontretreatedsomewhatfromthelineofthestreet,andwasflankedonthefarthersidebystables.Onlyonechimneysmoked,andthatsparely.Threestepsleduptoimposingdoubledoors,whichstoodhalfopen,andaffordedaglimpseofaspacioushallandastatestaircase.Twomen,apparentlyservants,loungedonthesteps,eatingchestnuts,andjestingwithoneanother;andabovethedoorwerethreeshieldsblazonedincolours.Isawwithsatisfaction,asIpassedthesecondtime,thatthemiddlecoatwasthatofTurenneimpalingonewhichIcouldnotread——whichthoroughlysatisfiedmethatthebowofvelvethadnotlied;sothat,withoutmoreado,Iturnedhomewards,formulatingmyplansasIwent.
IfoundallasIhadleftit;andmymotherstilllyinginahalf-consciousstate,Iwassparedthepainofmakingexcusesforpastabsence,orexplainingthatwhichIdesigned.I
communicatedtheplanIhadformedtoSimonFleix,whosawnodifficultyinprocuringarespectablepersontostaywithMadamedeBonne.Butforsometimehewouldcomenofartherintothebusiness.Helistened,hismouthopenandhiseyesglittering,tomyplanuntilIcametohisshareinit;andthenhefellintoaviolentfitoftrembling.
\'Youwantmetofight,monsieur,\'hecriedreproachfully,shakingalloverlikeoneinthepalsy.\'Yousaidsotheothernight.