Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-02-23
CHAPTER XVIII.


Once back in my room flung off M
cloak and took a survey of my new
quarters. The room was long and low
and situated in the topmost story of tn,
house. In one corner was a settle GOV
cred with faded brocade, whilst OF
the other side there was a wardrobe
and a few necessaries. The bed was
placed at the extreme end of the room
and close to the window which over.
looked the back of the house, and
through which from where l stood the
blue sky alone was visible, there was
a table and a couple of chairs. Be.
tween the table and the bed interviewed
a clear space, about ten feet by six
covered with a coarse carpeting. If ]
am thus precise in my description,
would say | have done so in order to
explain clearly what follows.
So far things were satisfactory
enough, aud beyond what l had a right
to expect in such a locality. The one
4 drawback was that / would be com
/ PEELED to use the turret at the end OF
the passage for my watch, and thus run
I the risk Of being observed from the
/ other houses. In the meantime | de.
| termined TO see exactly what could be
| effected from the window, and pushing
the table aside, so as to get better
view, looked out. then saw that the
house / was in, as well as the ToisoI
dor, was built against the remains oil
the old walls of Paris. Below me there
was a sheer drop of 50 to 60 feet
right into the bed of the abandoned
fosse, which was covered by a thick un
dergrowth and full of debris. Thought
at first of stopping any further concern
with the window, but as / was turning
away / looked rather particularly al
the wall below me and saw that Q
ledge ran along It about three feet be.
low the window. Following its track
with my eyes, / observed that IL was
carried along the face of the Toison
dor, and in doing this became aware
that there was a window open at the
back of Babette's house, and that this
was situated on the same level as my
room, but just about the middle, in.
stead of the extreme end as mine was
When / considered the position of this
window, and that its lookout was on
place where never a soul seemed &c |
come, | could not but think that |
madame were in the Toison dor |
in all probability her room was there /
and | swore bitterly TO myself at tho |
thought of how impossible it would be
to reach her. / then crancd out anc 1
looked upwards. and saw that my house
was haIf-story lower than the Toisor
dor, and that, whilst the latter had q
high, sloping roof, the portion of the
building in which / was appeared to be
a long and narrow terrace, with a low
machicolated parapet running along
the edge. Thus if there were a door
or window in the Toison dor that
opened on to my roof, ii would be posi-
bic to step out thereon, and then
drew back, my blood burning. If 1t was
possible to step out from the Toison
dor on to the roof of the house l oc-
cupi,d, ii might be equally easy TO get
thence into the Toison dor. Taking
my sword / measured the distance Of
the ledge from the window sill, and
then, holding on to the mullions by one
hand, stretched out as far as | could,
and found / could just touch the top Of
the parapet with the point of my blade.
In short, the position was this: that, 50
hard and smooth was the outside of the
wall il was impossible for anything,
save a lizard, TO get along it to the win
dow behind which l supposed madame
was prisoned, yet ii was feasible, with
the aid of a rope thrown over the grin
ming head Of the gargoyle a little above
me, or else over the low battlement OF
the parapet, to reach the roof, and the
odds were in favor of there being some
sort of a door or window that would
give ingress thence into the Toison
i'0r / began after this to be little
more satisfied with my quarters, and
to set about my explora-
fons about the dinner hour. when
most people would be within, and the
nance of discovery reduced to a mini
mum.
After allowing a little time to elspse
descended to the shop and began care [
essly running my eyes over the mis-
,ellaneous collection of articles there |
n. The fence followed me about, now
recommending this thing and now that.
II last | saw what looked to be ball
4 rope lying in a corner and covered a
With dust. {
What is that?" inquired, touching /
{ with the point Of my sword.
The man stopped without word
nd picking ii up, busted 1t carefully. .
hen he unrolled a ladder Of silken cord.
bout i2 or IS feet in length. /
This, captain" he said, swinging II 1
ackward and forward. belonged not y
o long ago 70 N. de Bellievre. though O
on may not believe me" {
II have no doubt you are speaking 1
he truth, but II seems rather weak" r
"0n the contrary, monsieur. viii you q
est IL and seeg" u
We managed ia DO this by means OF n
w hooks that were slung from beam p