"You were on duty at that gate, but you left your post."
"Yes, but—"
"But you first opened the gate for a lady."
"It was not I, monsieur," he answered, as if anxious to exonerate himself, although he knew not to whom he was talking. "It was my comrade. He said he knew the woman, and that the governor would wish her instantly admitted, and he opened the gate. When she came in, I would have had her wait at the gate till M. de la Chatre had been informed, but she ran into the château, and my comrade with her. There must be something wrong, I thought, if my comrade would leave his post to go in with the lady. So I ran after them to get her to come back. It was my thought of my duty that made me forget the gate. Indeed it was so, monsieur."
He evidently thought that we were friends of the governor's who had happened to arrive at the château at this hour.
So he, at least, had not received orders to admit mademoiselle. Joyful hope! Perhaps there had been no understanding between her and the governor, after all! But his comrade had let her in, had said that the governor would wish the gate opened to her at once. Then there was an understanding.
"Where is your comrade?" I asked.
"I left him with the lady, in the chamber at the head of the staircase.
Ah, I hear him coming down the stairs!"
"Look to this man, Frojac," said I, and then hastened into the château. The moonlight through the open door showed a large vestibule, from which the staircase ascended towards the right. The man coming down this staircase was at the bottom step when I entered the vestibule. He stopped there, taken by surprise. I saw that he was of short stature and slight figure. I caught him by the back of the neck with my left hand, and brought him to his knees before me.
"Where is the lady who but now entered the château?" I said. "Why are you silent, knave?"