"I have, the whole length; and, faith, it is a trench prettily cut, I assure you; and moreover it was divided by three iron gratings, which they have been obliged to remove one after the other, but which, in case these conspirators had succeeded, would have given them time, by sacrificing two or three of their number, to have placed Madame Widow Capet in a place of safety. Happily it is not so, and that hideous Simon discovered all!"
"But it appears to me," said Maurice, "those who ought to have been first arrested were the inhabitants of the house in the Rue de la Corderie."
"This would have been, had they not found the house perfectly uninhabited."
"But at least this house must belong to some one?"
"Yes, to a new proprietor; but no one knows who. They know the house changed masters two weeks since, and that is all. The neighbors have often heard a noise; but the house being very old, they had imagined it was undergoing thorough repair. As to the late proprietor, he has left Paris. In the mean time I arrived."
"'Upon my word!' said I to Santerre, drawing him aside, 'you are in an awkward situation.'
"'Indeed we are,' replied he.
"'This house has been sold, has it not?'
"'Yes, it was, about a fortnight ago.'