"Our alarm bells and sirens went off at half-past ten, Madame la Marquise."
"I know that—I heard them."
"The mutineers, with Paul Leroux at their head, have been arrested by our watchmen. Leroux confessed that he had been bribed to murder M. le Maréchal, and to deliver the armament works into the hands of a band of Royalists under M. de Puisaye."
"Did M. de Maurel order you to say this?"
"He desired Madame la Marquise to know that Leroux was a coward as well as a traitor."
"Leroux' personality.... Who is Leroux, by the way?... does not interest me. Go on."
"Our sirens aroused the garrison of Domfront. The commandant sent over one of his officers with a small detachment of infantry to see what was amiss. He only thought of fire or of a mutiny among the convicts, and he was ready to send us help."
"Well? And then?"
"M. le Maréchal interrogated Leroux in the presence of the officer. Leroux made a clean breast of all he knew. M. de Maurel then sent his own couriers from the works to Domfront, to Tinchebrai, and to Mortain, warning the different commandants against possible attacks from roaming bands of Chouans. Within a couple of hours all the garrisons were afoot and in touch with one another."
"Then what happened?"