"Mère Clouet, with whom I live," declared Jean, "will joyfully open her house to the royal ones, and shelter them safely. She has the reputation for being one of the stanchest sans-culottes in the Rue de Lille, and none would ever suspect her!"
"It is the very thing!" exclaimed the two men. "It is a godsend!" Then in whispers they elaborated to Jean all the details of the plan for the escape of the Queen, her sister and the two children from the Tower. This is the plot that the boy had discovered, and in which he was to take so important a part.
There was in Paris a loyal and daring royalist, the Baron de Batz, who schemed so cleverly for the release of his sovereign that he was never discovered, even when it chanced that his plans failed. He, it seemed, was the younger of the two men whom Jean had overheard. He contrived to be present everywhere, seen nowhere, and had the most trusty agents and spies in his service. He also had many retreats and secure hiding-places in Paris, the principal one being at the house of a grocer named Cortey, who was a commissary at the Tower, and at heart a sympathiser with the royal sufferers. Through him, De Batz discovered another royalist, one Michonis, a soldier of the Temple guard. The three together had perfected a bold scheme of escape.
They had arranged that the first time Cortey should be on duty among the commissaries, he should enroll De Batz as his colleague for the day, under the name of Citizen Forget, and thus gain his admission to the Temple Tower. This had already been done, and De Batz, or Forget as he was now called, had studied the situation for several days, discovering about thirty men among the soldiery who would be faithful to the cause.
Then the scheme was to wait till a day when Cortey should be on duty as commissary, and Michonis also on guard among the sentinels, both at the same time. They would probably be obliged to wait quite a while for this, as the two men's turns did not coincide often. That day all the men on sentry at the staircase of the Tower were to wear long, military capes above their uniforms. When the hour came, late at night, Michonis was to take these capes from some of them, and put them on three royal women. In this disguise the Princesses with guns in their hands, would be incorporated among a patrol, and in their midst they would surround the child-king. Cortey was to command the patrol, and under the pretence of investigating some imaginary disturbance in the street, would have the great inner gates of the courtyard opened for them. Once outside the walls, their safety would be almost certain.
A carriage was to be waiting in the Rue Charlot. Jean was to be allowed to drive this, and take the fugitives near to the Rue de Lille. Then they would get out and make their way unobtrusively to the home of Citizeness Clouet. Here they would rest secure for the night, and in the morning escape in sans-culotte costumes to a ship that would leave the port of Havre next night. The plan seemed perfectly thought out, and to Jean it appeared that success was certain.
While the three conspirators were whispering at the table, suddenly a shadow fell across the floor from the open doorway. With a little shiver of distrust, Jean turned round and faced the rat-like eyes of La Souris! He had, however, the presence of mind to appear very unconcerned, and invited Coudert to be seated at another table. The two men rose to leave, and before they went Jean remarked aloud:
"Citizens, you have entertained me vastly this afternoon with your tales of La Guillotine! I hope you will come again to help me pass a dull hour! What will you take, Citizen Coudert?" But in spite of his apparent unconcern, his heart misgave him somewhat, for though La Souris said nothing to alarm him, he watched the boy more suspiciously than ever. He hurried home that night to Mère Clouet and Yvonne, with joy and fear mingled in his heart, and told them all the wonderful news, and the two Clouets spent some happy days thereafter, preparing for their royal guests.
The time passed while they were waiting for the auspicious day, and the conspirators were careful not to be seen too much in each others' company. Once, however, when Forget and Michonis happened to meet and exchange a few low-whispered words in the courtyard, if they had looked behind them, they would have noticed a little, wiry, evil-faced creature skulking around the corner of the building near which they stood. Jean, the lynx-eyed, from his vantage ground in the tavern doorway, caught sight of La Souris' suspicious manœuvres. He left the door, and strolled nonchalantly—past his friends, singing loudly, "Allons, enfants de la patrie!" Just when he was opposite them he muttered between his teeth, "'Ware La Souris!" and sauntered on. The two men parted, and were careful not to meet again.
At last the long-looked-for day arrived. Michonis and Cortey were both on duty, and also twenty-eight loyal soldiers, among whom was Forget. All during the day nothing occurred to mar their plans, and Jean hugged himself and chuckled with delight. Night came and all was well. Michonis was at his post in the prisoners' apartments, while his colleagues rested, lounged or played tric-trac in the council-room below. Simon alone was not among them, having been absent from the Tower for several hours. This was looked upon as a favourable omen.