"Dear M. Poulain, my ideas may be wrong, but it seems to me that the king would not approve of his lieutenant of the Provostry acting as surveyor for M. de Mayneville; and that he might also take it ill that you should omit in your daily report the entrance of Madame de Montpensier and M. de Mayneville, yesterday, into his good city of Paris."
"M. Briquet, an omission is not an offense, and his majesty is too good—"
"M. Poulain, I see clearer than you, and I see—"
"What?"
"A gallows."
"M. Briquet!"
"And more—a new cord, four soldiers at the four cardinal points, a number of Parisians around, and a certain lieutenant of my acquaintance at the end of the cord."
Nicholas Poulain trembled so that he shook the hedge. "Monsieur!" cried he, clasping his hands.
"But I am your friend, dear M. Poulain, and I will give you a counsel."
"A counsel?"