"Your round!" said Marguerite; "whom are you looking for?"
"The little red man," said Charles. "Do you not know that there is a little red man who is said to haunt the old Louvre? My brother D'Alençon claims to have seen him, and we are looking for him."
"Good luck to you," said Marguerite, and she turned round. Glancing behind her, she saw the four figures gather close to the wall as if in conference. In an instant she had reached her own door.
"Open, Gillonne," said she, "open."
Gillonne obeyed.
Marguerite sprang into the room and found La Mole waiting for her, calm and quiet, but with drawn sword.
"Flee," said she, "flee. Do not lose a second. They are waiting for you in the corridor to kill you."
"You command me to do this?" said La Mole.
"I command it. We must part in order to see each other again."
While Marguerite had been away La Mole had made sure of the ladder at the window. He now stepped out, but before placing his foot on the first round he tenderly kissed the queen's hand.