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〃A few days！〃 interrupted Simon； angrily。 〃Not a few hours； not a
few minutes will I wait。 If you have no hobby…horses； tell me； and I
will go elsewhere to make my purchases。〃
He turned to go； but the clerk held him back。 〃Wait only a minute；〃
he said。 〃I should not like to lose your custom； and I think it
possible that I can procure you a fine horse。 The cabinet…maker； who
makes our horses； lives just opposite； and he has promised to
deliver them tomorrow。 The boy shall go over and see if they are not
ready。〃
〃We would rather go over with him； citizen。 If we find what is
wanted； we shall need to go no farther。〃
〃It is true； that will be the best course；〃 said Simon。 〃Come；
commissioner。〃
〃I will go along to have the business all rightly done；〃 said the
clerk。 〃Here； John； take my place behind the counter while I am
gone。〃
Simon had already crossed the street by the side of Toulan。 The
clerk followed with the second commissioner。
〃Why have you not got rid of the boy； Count St。 Prix？〃 asked the
latter。
〃It was impossible； Count Frotte〃 answered the former in a whisper。
〃Duval is a very nervous man； and he supposed that it would excite
suspicion if the boy； who is well known in the neighborhood； should
disappear at just the time when he should be away。 He is right；
perhaps； and at any rate the thing is unavoidable。 The sly chore…boy
has noticed nothing； I hope； and we shall reach our goal without any
hindrance。 You are going to London tomorrow morning？〃
〃Yes； count。 And you？ what is your direction？〃
〃To Coblentz； to the royal princes；〃 replied Count St。 Prix。 〃Only I
suspect that we shall not both of us reach the end of our journeys。〃
〃At any rate not with the children that we shall take with us；〃
whispered the other； as they entered the house of the cabinet…maker。
They found Simon and Toulan in the large workshop busily engaged in
bargaining with the cabinet…maker； who had shown them six tolerably
large hobby…horses； and was descanting on their beauties。
〃It seems tome they all look very much alike；〃 said Simon。 〃Tell me；
commissioner； which of these race…horses pleases you best。〃
〃This with the red flanks；〃 said Toulan； laying his hand upon the
largest one。
〃It is an immense creature；〃 said Simon； with a laugh。 〃Still； the
red flanks are pretty； and if we can agree about the price I will
buy the animal。〃
They did agree； and after Simon had gravely paid the twenty francs；
he and Toulan took the horse on their shoulders and marched down the
street。
〃Do all those people know about our secret？〃 asked Simon； as they
strode forward。
〃No； only the cabinet…maker knows about it； and he will leave Paris
to…morrow and carry the prince to a place of safety。〃
〃For God's sake； do not speak so loudly！〃 whispered Simon； casting
an anxious look around。 〃But why do you yourself not go away with
the boy and leave Paris； where you are constantly in danger？〃
〃I cannot；〃 answered Toulan； solemnly。
〃Cannot！ what forbids you？〃
〃The vow that I gave to Marie Antoinette； to rescue her children
from the Temple or to die。〃
〃Well； but to…morrow you hope to fulfil your vow； and then you can
go。〃
〃I shall fulfil to…morrow but the half of my vow。 I shall； if you
help me； and my plan succeeds； release the son of the queen； but the
daughter will remain behind in prison。 You see； therefore； that I
cannot leave Paris； for the daughter and sister…in…law of the queen
are still prisoners； and I must release them。〃
〃But I should rather that you would go away with the boy； and never
come back to Paris；〃 said Simon； thoughtfully。
〃How so？ Do you not trust me？〃
〃I trust no one；〃 replied Simon； gloomily。 〃You might some day； when
it might suit your humor； or in order to save yourself； betray me；
and report me to the Committee of Safety。〃
〃What； I！ And ought I not to fear too？ Could not you betray me as
well？〃
〃You know very well that I shall take care not to disclose a word of
this whole history； for to disclose it would be to write my own
death…warrant。 But hush； now； hush！ there is the Temple； and it
seems to me as if the very walls looked at me maliciously； as if
they wanted to say； 'There comes a traitor！' Ah； Toulan； it is a bad
thing to have an accusing conscience！〃
〃Help me faithfully to save the prince； Simon； and you will have a
good conscience all the rest of your life； for you will have done a
grand and noble deed。〃
〃In your eyes；〃 whispered Simon； 〃but not in those of the
Convention； and when they learn about itbut here we are； and our
talk and reconsideration are too late。〃
He struck three times with his fist against the closed gate of the
outer court。 The porter opened； and let the two men in； only saying
that the guard had given his special consent to the bringing in of
the hobhy…horse。
〃But about the commissioner whom you bring with you；〃 said the
porter； reflectively； 〃he did not make any mention； and I can only
allow him to take your plaything into the second court。 He must not
go into the Temple。〃
〃It is no particular wish of mine to go into a prison；〃 answered the
commissioner； carelessly。 〃It is a good deal easier to get in than
to get out again。 Well； take hold； Citizen Simon； forward！〃
They walked on to the second court。 〃Now； then；〃 whispered Toulan；
〃for caution and thoughtfulness！ Tomorrow at ten o'clock I will be
standing before the door； and you will call me in to help you in
your moving。〃
〃I wish it were all over；〃 groaned Simon。 〃It seems to me as if my
head were shaking on my shoulders； and my heart beats as if I were a
young girl。〃
〃Courage； Simon； only courage！ Remember that tomorrow you are to be
a free and a rich man。 Then； as soon as you give your basket to the
washerwoman at the Macon gate； I will pay you the promised twenty
thousand francs。 And〃
〃Halt！〃 cried the sentinel at the entrance to the Temple。 〃No one
can go in here without a pass。〃
〃You do not want a pass for my rocking…horse； brother citizen； do
you？〃 asked Simon； with a laugh。
〃Nonsense！ I am speaking about the commissioner。〃
〃He is going of himself； and does not want to go in。 But look him
square in the face； for he will come to…morrow morning again。 I have
secured him in advance； to help me in moving out。 Bring a wagon
along； commissioner； for the things will be too heavy to carry
without one。 And now help put the horse on my shoulders。 So！ Well；
then； to…morrow morning at ten； commissioner。〃
〃To…morrow morning at ten；〃 replied Toulan； nodding to Simon； and
slowly sauntering through the court。 He stopped at the outer gate；
told the porter that he was going to assist Simon in his moving on
the morrow； and then asked in an indifferent tone whether Simon's
successor at the Temple was appointed。
〃Why； would you like the place？〃 asked the porter； gruffly。
〃No； indeed； not I！ I have no taste for such work。 It must be an
awful air in the prison。〃
〃It is that；〃 replied the porter。 〃And so after Simon has moved out；
they are going to cleanse the place a little； and give it an airing；
and the successor will move in about noon。〃
〃Well； I don't envy the man who moves in；