La Mole saw the broken pane, and realized the cause of the noise.
"Who dared to do this?" he cried, springing to the window.
"One moment," said Marguerite. "It seems to me that something is tied around the stone."
"Yes," said La Mole, "it looks like a piece of paper."
Marguerite went to the strange projectile and removed the thin sheet which, folded like a narrow band, encircled the middle of the stone.
The paper was attached to a cord, which came through the broken window.
Marguerite unfolded the letter and read.
"Unfortunate man!" she cried, holding out the paper to La Mole, who stood as pale and motionless as a statue of Terror.
With a heart filled with gloomy forebodings he read these words:
"They are waiting for Monsieur de la Mole, with long swords, in the corridor leading to the apartments of Monsieur d'Alençon. Perhaps he would prefer to escape by this window and join Monsieur de Mouy at Mantes"—