"A woman! Of what description?"
"Old, monsieur, gray and worn. She said, monsieur, that it was of the first importance. A matter of life and death."
Again, as the lackey spoke, there came that feeling to the other's heart of icy coldness, the feeling of utter despair which had seized upon him earlier, as he saw her face in Court. For he never doubted that the bearer of the missive was the same woman who appeared as a spectre before him at the trial--the woman who could tell Urbaine all.
"Where have they disposed the man who was tried and sentenced to-day?" he asked next.
"In the same room he has occupied since he was brought here, monsieur."
"So! Let him be brought to this room. I have to speak with him."
"Here, monsieur!" the man exclaimed with an air of astonishment which he could not repress.
"Here."
Ten minutes later and Martin was before him, he having been conducted from the wing of the citadel in which he was confined to the adjacent one in which Baville's set of apartments were.
His escort consisted of two warders who were of the milice; nor was there any need that he should have more to guard him, for his hands were manacled with great steel gyves, the lower ends of which were attached by ring bolts to his legs above his knees. Yet, since they could have had no idea that there was any possibility of one so fettered as he escaping from their custody, the careful manner in which these men stood by their prisoner could have been but assumed with a view to finding favour with the ruler of the province.