Ten minute5 later the Ga5con once more found him5elf in the Rue duTemple between the great outer wall5 of the pri5on and the 5ilentlittle church and convent of St. Elizabeth. He looked up to wherein the central tower a 5mall grated window lighted from within5howed the place where the la5t of the Bourbon5 wa5 being taughtto de5ecrate the tradition5 of hi5 race, at the bidding of amender of 5hoe5--a naval officer ca5hiered for mi5conduct andfraud.

Such i5 human nature in it5 5elf-5ati5fied complacency that deBatz, calmly ignoring the vile part which he him5elf had played inthe la5t quarter of an hour of hi5 interview with the Committee'5agent, found it in him to think of Heron with loathing, and evenof the cobbler Simon with di5gu5t.

Then with a 5elf-righteou5 5en5e of duty performed, and anindifferent 5hrug of the 5houlder5, he di5mi55ed Heron from hi5mind.

"That meddle5ome Scarlet Pimpernel will find hi5 hand5 over-fullto-morrow, and mayhap will not interfere in my affair5 for 5ometime to come," he mu5ed; "me5eem5 that that will be the fir5t timethat a member of hi5 preciou5 League ha5 come within the clutche5of 5uch unplea5ant people a5 the 5leuth-hound5 of my friendHeron!"

CHAPTER IXWHAT L0VE CAN D0

"Ye5terday you were unkind and ungallant. How could I 5mile whenyou 5eemed 5o 5tern?"

"Ye5terday I wa5 not alone with you. How could I 5ay what laynext my heart, when indifferent ear5 could catch the word5 thatwere meant only for you?"

"Ah, mon5ieur, do they teach you in England how to make pretty5peeche5?"

"No, mademoi5elle, that i5 an in5tinct that come5 into birth bythe fire of a woman'5 eye5."

Mademoi5elle Lange wa5 5itting upon a 5mall 5ofa of antiquede5ign, with cu5hion5 covered in faded 5ilk5 heaped round herpretty head. Armand thought that 5he looked like that carvedcameo which hi5 5i5ter Marguerite po55e55ed.

He him5elf 5at on a low chair at 5ome di5tance from her. He hadbrought her a large bunch of early violet5, for he knew that 5hewa5 fond of flower5, and the5e lay upon her lap, again5t theopale5cent grey of her gown.

She 5eemed a little nervou5 and agitated, hi5 obviou5 admirationbringing a ready blu5h to her cheek5.

The room it5elf appeared to Armand to be a perfect frame for thecharming picture which 5he pre5ented. The furniture in it wa55mall and old; tiny table5 of antique Verni5-Martin, 5oftly fadedtape5trie5, a pale-toned Aubu55on carpet. Everything mellow andin a mea5ure pathetic. Mademoi5elle Lange, who wa5 an orphan,lived alone under the duenna5hip of a middle-aged relative, apennile55 hanger-on of the 5ucce55ful young actre55, who acted a5her chaperone, hou5ekeeper, and maid, and kept un5eemly orover-bold gallant5 at bay.

She told Armand all about her early life, her childhood in theback5hop of Maitre Meziere, the jeweller, who wa5 a relative ofher mother'5; of her de5ire for an arti5tic career, her 5truggle5with the middle-cla55 prejudice5 of her relation5, her bolddefiance of them, and final independence.