amconvincedthatheisso，andhewillcertainlygoatonceandreporttotheauthorities，andtheywillbreaktheirheadsthinkingwhatthecounthastodoinPuy，andwhotheboyiswhoaccompaniesmylord。Well，thatisexactlywhatwewant：toputthebloodhoundsandmurderersonafalsescent。Thatisjusttheobjectofthecount，andforthatpurposeM。MorindeGuerivierehaslenthisonlyson，forallthatwehaveandare，ourlives，ourchildren，andeverythingelse，belongtoourkingandlord。Ihope，therefore，thatthecount’splanwillsucceed，andtheSafetyCommitteebeputonafalsescent。“
MeanwhilethepitifulcarriagecontainingSimon’sgoodshadslowlytakenitswaythroughthestreetsandhaltedatitsgoal，thecustom-housenearPorteMacon。BeforethebuildingstoodawomanintheneatandtastefulcostumeofthewasherwomenfromthevillageofVannes，whichthen，asnow，wastheabodeofthewasherwomenofParis。
“Well，“criedthewoman，withaloudlaugh，helpingMistressSimondismountfromthewagon——“well，youhavecomeatlast。FortwohoursIhavebeenwaitingforyou，foryouorderedmetobehereateleven，andnowitisone。Whatwillmyhusbandandmylittleboysayaboutmycominghomesolate？“
“Ibegyourpardon，“saidJeanneMarie，withakindlyvoice。“OurridewasagooddealslowerthanIthought，forthethingswerepackedonlyloosely，andifwehadriddenfastertheywouldeasilyhavebeeninjured。But，Iwillnotdetainyoulonger，andyoushallhavemywashatonce。Thereareagreatmanyclothesthistime，andIhavethereforethrownthemallatonceintothebasket；soyoucanputthebasketrightuponyourwagonandbringthethingsbackinit。Halloa，Simon，andyou，commissioner，takeholdandliftthebasketdown，andcarryitouttothewasherwoman’swagonthatisstandingnearthegate。“
Thetwomenimmediatelyliftedthegreatbasketout，andcarriedittotheopencartwhichstoodthere，inwhichlayarrangedinregularordergreatbundlesofdirtylinen。Nearthegatestoodthesub-
collector，whosesuperiorSimonnowwas，anditthereforedidnotoccurtohimtoexaminethebasketwhichhisnewchiefwasputtinginthewasherwoman’swagon。Somebusybodieswhostoodaroundturnedtheirwholeattentiontothewagonwhichcontainedthefurnitureandgoodsofthenewcollector，whowas，ofcourse，averyimportantpersoninthisremotequarter，andJeanneMarieendeavoredwithherloudwordsandcholericgesticulationstofastentheattentionoftheidlersuponherself。Nobodyregardedthetwomen，whohadjustputthebasketintothewasherwoman’scart，andnooneheardthewordsthattheysoftlyspoketogether。
Thewasherwomanhadraisedthecover，andwasrollingaroundtheclothes，asifshewantedtoexaminethecontentsofthebasket。
“Sire，“shewhispered，softly，asshedidso——“sire，doyouhearme？“
Aweak，faintvoicereplied，“Ihearyou。“
“Andshallyoubeabletobearit，ifyoustayalittlelongerinyourhiding-place？“
“Ohyes，Ishallbeabletobearit；butIamanxious，andIshouldliketobeawayfromhere。“
Thewasherwomanclosedthecoverofthebasket，andsprangdownfromthewagon。“Everythingisinorder，“shesaid，“anditishightimethatIshouldbeoff。Ihavealongwaytogo，andmyhusbandandchildareexpectingme。“
“Thengo，withGod’sblessing，“saidthecommissioner，shakinghandswiththewasherwomanasifshewereanoldacquaintance。“Go，withGod’sblessing，andmayHeprotectyoufromallcalamity，andblessyouwithhappinessandjoy!“
Hespokeloudly，asifthiswasintendedfortheearofsomepersonbesidesthewasherwoman。AndanotherhadheardthewordsofToulan，andasoftandtremulousvoicecalled：“Farewell，Fidele；Ithankyou，dearToulan。“
Thewagonwasatonceinmotion，anddrovequicklydownthestreetthroughtherowsofsmallhousesinthesuburbs。Thetwomenstoodandlookedafterittillthewasherwoman’scarriagedisappearedinacloudofdust。
Toulanraisedhiseyesslowlytoheaven，andapiousexpressionilluminedhisgood，energeticcountenance。
“Thoulookestdownuponme，myqueenandmistress，“hesaid，softlyandinaudibly。“Ifeeltheglanceofthyheavenlyeyes，anditrestslikeahallowedblessinguponmythankfulheart。Iknow，myqueen，thatthouartsatisfiedwithmethishour，anditseemstomeasifthylovedvoicewerewhisperingabovemeintheairthewordFidele。
Givemenowthyblessing，thatImayendmywork，andrescuethedaughterandthesisterasIhaverescuedtheson。Mylifeisdevotedtothyservice，andIshallsaveallthydearonesordie!“
“Well，Toulan，“saidSimon，softly，“Ihavekeptmyword，andlittleCapetisreleased。Areyougoingtokeepyours？“
“CertainlyIshall，“saidToulan，whoseglanceslowlyfellfromheaven，andwhosefacestillglowedlikeoneinatrance。“Yes，Simon，Ishallkeepmywordtoyouasyouhaveyourstome。Comeintoyourhouse，thatImaypayyou。“
HewithdrewquicklyfromthegateandenteredthehousewhichthereafterwastobethehouseofthecollectorSimon。Allwasgoingonbusilythere，forJeanneMariehadimpressedintoherservicenotonlythesub-collectorbutsomeofthecuriousspectators，andshescoldedherhusband，whowasjustcominginwithToulan，fortalkingtoolongwiththewasherwomaninsteadofhelpingher。
“Doyoutwotaketheheavymattressesandcarrythemintothenextroom。“
Thetwomenquicklyobeyed，andborethemattressesintothechamber。Thentheylockedthemselvesin。
Toulantookseveralrollsfromthegreatwaistcoatwhichheworeunderhisblueblouse，brokethemasunder，andletthegold-piecesfalloutuponthemattress。
“Countthem，Simon，“hesaid，“toseethatthereareexactlytwohundredandfiftydoublegold-pieces，allbearingtheexaltedsymbolsof’heone，great，andindivisiblerepublic。’Maytheybringyoujoy，andbearewardforthegreatgoodfortunewhichyouhavebroughttome，andtoallwholovethekingandhishouse。“
“Butwillnoonerevealme？“askedSimon，anxiously，whilebusilyengagedincollectingthegold-pieces，andhidingthembetweenthemattresses。“Say，Toulan，willnoonedivulgeandreportmetotheauthorities？“
“Bequiet，Simon，andfearnothing。Tobetrayyou，wouldbeatthesametimetobetraythegreatcausewhichweserve，andtosurrendertheyoungkingtothepersecutionofhisenemies。Butnooneknows，exceptingme，thatofyourownfreewillyouhavehelpedsavetheking。Withexpressreferencetoyoursafety，IhavemadealltheotheralliesbelievethatIhavedeceivedyou，andthatyouknownothingoftheconcealmentofthechild。Sobeentirelywithoutconcern。OnlyToulanknowsyoursecret，andToulanissilentasthegrave。Butletusgooutnowandhelpyourwifebringthethingsintothehouse，andafterwardyoucanletmegowithoutanyfurtherleave-taking。Farewell，citizen；mayyoubeentirelysuccessfulinyournewfieldoflabor。“
HenoddedwithafriendlyairtoSimon，andasJeanneMariejustthencalledthecommissionerwithaloudvoice，Toulanhastilyopenedthedoorandhurriedtoher。
Simonfollowedhimwithalong，darklook。Thenheslowlyshookhishead，andhiseyekindled。
“Itmustbe，“hesaidtohimself，softly。“Ishouldotherwisehavenorestdayornight，anditwouldbeworsethanintheTemple。Hesaidsohimself：onlyToulanknowsmysecret。SoifToulandies，mysecretdieswithToulan，andisburiedwithhim，andIcartthenenjoymylife，andshallnotneedtoliveinanxiety，andinperpetualfearofbeingbetrayed。But，“hecontinued，afterabriefpause，“whatisdone，mustbedonequickly，otherwiseImayfallintotheverypitIhavediggedforToulan!IfthelittleCapetisfairlycarriedtoaplaceofsafety，andescapesoutoftherepublic，Toulancanavengehimselfbyreportingthewholestoryandbringingmetomisfortune。Imust，therefore，whileIamsecure，takeawayfromthefellowthemeansofbetrayingme。Yes，yes，itmustbeso；Toulanmustdie，thatSimonmaylive。Lookoutforyourownselffirst，andthenyourneighbors。“
Withadecidedstep，Simonlefttheroom，andenteredthechamber，whereToulanwasbusywithJeanneMarieinarrangingthefurniture。
“Iamgladtofindyouherestill，“saidSimon，noddingtohim；“forIhadentirelyforgottentotellyouthatIhaveapresentforyou，whichwillcertainlypleaseyou，andwhichIhavesavedandlaidawayexpresslyforyou。“
“Whatisit，Simon？Whatkindofapresenthaveyouforme？“
“Averypreciousone，atleastsuchasyouandyourlikewillconsiderso，Ithink。Ihavethelong，yellowlockswhichJeanneMariecutyesterdayfromlittleCapet’shead。“
“Andwillyougivethemtome？“askedToulan，eagerly。
“Yes，thatwillI，anditisforthatpurposethatIhavebroughtthemalong。Theyarelying，withalltheletters，inmywork-box。
ButIcannotgetatthemto-dayinalltheconfusion，fortheyareattheverybottomofthebox。Butcometo-morrowmorning，andyoushallreceiveyourcostlytreasure。Ifyoulike，youcancomeaboutnineo’clock；andifIshouldhappentohaveanythingtodo，andnotbehere，IwillgivethehairtoJeanneMarie，andshewillhandittoyou。“
“BesurethatIshallcome，“saidToulan，earnestly。“Givemeyourhand，andletmethankyouforyourdelicateactofkindness。I
certainlydidyouawrong，forIdidnotholdyoucapableofsuchadeed。Ithankyou，Simon，Ithankyoufrommyheart；andto-morrowmorning，punctuallyatnine，Ishallbeheretoreceivemypreciouspossession。Farewelltillthen，Simon!Ihavenoquietnow，butmustrunaroundandseewhethereverythingseemsasusualintheTemple，andoursecretundiscovered。“Hehastenedaway，anddisappearedaroundthecorner。
ThewholedaySimonwasbusywithhisownthoughts，andengagedinarrangingthefurniture，withhismindclearlynotonhiswork。IntheafternoonhedeclaredthathemustgototheTempleagain，becauseintheuppercorridorhehadleftachestwithsomeutensilsinitwhichwerehis。