"And where do they lodge?" asked Monsieur de Braguelonne, eagerly.
"That I can't tell you. I took pains to ask, in a careless way, where I might find our leader if I had any communication to make; but they only gave me an indirect channel of correspondence. La Renaudie probably does not wish to compromise the prince."
"That is a great pity, I must admit," reflected the lieutenant. "We shall have difficulty in finding traces of them."
At this moment Master Arpion entered once more with his soft and mysterious tread.
"Well, what is it, Arpion?" asked Monsieur de Braguelonne, sharply. "You knew very well that we were engaged with important business, and why the devil do you interrupt us?"
"I should not have ventured to enter unless for something of equal importance," replied Arpion.
"Well, what is it? Tell me quickly, and aloud; for we are all friends here."
"A man named Pierre des Avenelles—" began Arpion.
De Braguelonne, Démocharès, and Lignières exclaimed simultaneously,—
"Pierre des Avenelles!"