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He nodded to the porter； and went out into the street。 As the door
closed behind him； Simon stopped a moment； and cast a quick glance
up and down the street。 Above； at the corner of the little cross…
street； stood quietly a young commissioner in his blouse； apparently
waiting for some one to employ him。 Simon crossed the street and
went up to him。
〃Well；〃 asked the latter aloud； 〃have you any thing for me to do；
citizen？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Simon； softly and quickly。 〃Yes； Toulan； I am all
ready for you。 To…morrow morning； at ten o'clock； I leave the
Temple。〃
〃I know it；〃 whispered Toulan。 〃But speak loudly。 There stands a man
who seems to be watching us。〃
〃Come；〃 cried Simon； loudly。 〃I want you to accompany me to a store
where they sell playthings； and afterward you must help carry back
what I buy； for it will be too large and too heavy for me alone。〃
Toulan followed him without replying； and the two went quietly and
with an air of indifference through the busy crowd of men。 At the
corner of a neighboring street the commissioner came in gentle
contact with another； who was standing on the curbstone； and was
looking earnestly down the street。
〃Beg pardon； citizen；〃 said Toulan； loudly； and then added； softly；
〃to…morrow morning； at ten o'clock。 The washerwomen will take charge
of the dirty linen at the door。 At exactly ten the wagons and the
boys must start。 The hobby…horse will be filled。〃
〃Yes； it shall be filled；〃 and； with an indifferent air； he passed
by the two； and walked down the Helder street。 The farther he went
the more rapid became his steps； and when he at last entered a
narrow； solitary alley； where he might hope to be less observed； his
quick walk became a run； which he continued till he reached the Rue
Vivienne。 He then moderated his pace； and went quietly into a toy…
shop； whose attractive windows and open door were directed to the
street。 The clerk； who stood behind the counter； asked； with a quiet
air； what he desired。
〃First； allow me to sit down； citizen；〃 answered the commissioner；
as he sank upon the rush…chair which stood before the counter。
〃There； and now； if you want to do me a service； just give me a
glass of water。〃
〃Halloo； John；〃 cried the clerk to the errand…boy； who was standing
in the hack part of the store。 〃Bring a glass of water from the
well！ Hasten！〃
The boy took a glass and sprang out of the door into the street。
〃In a quarter of an hour they will be here；〃 said the commissioner；
quickly。 〃Inform the marquis； if you please。〃
〃The cabinet…maker； Lamber； you mean；〃 whispered the clerk。 〃He is
not as far away as you； he lives directly opposite； and he has been
standing all day at the house…door waiting for the sign。〃
〃Then give it to him； dear baron；〃 said the commissioner； and as the
boy came in just then with the water； he hastily seized the glass；
and took a swallow so immense as to perfectly satisfy the boy； who
was looking at him。
The clerk had； in the mean time； gone to the shop…door； and looking
across at the opposite house； he drew a blue handkerchief； with a
red border； from his pocket； and slowly raised it to his face。
The man in the blouse； standing at the door of the low house across
the street； nodded slightly； and stepped back out of sight。
〃Well；〃 cried the commissioner； 〃now that I have taken breath； and
have had a good drink； I will tell you why I have run so。 I have
directed a citizen to you who wants to buy some playthings； and
something very fine； I suppose； as he brings a commissioner along
with him to carry the things home。 Now I want to know what per cent；
of the profit you get from him you are willing to give me； for you
cannot expect； citizen； that I should give my recommendation
gratis。〃
〃I am not the owner of the store；〃 replied the clerk； with a shrug。
〃I have been here only a week； and manage the business merely while
the owner is absent for a short time on a necessary journey。 So I
can give no fees。 But ask the boy whether in such cases Mr。 Duval
has paid money。 He has been here longer than I。〃
〃Mr。 Duval has paid every commissioner； who has brought him such
news； two centums on the franc；〃 said the boy； with an important
air。
〃Well； then； I will give you two centums on the franc； provided that
the citizen buys more than a franc's worth。〃
〃Aha！ there comes the man；〃 cried the commissioner； pointing at
Simon； who just then entered the store with Toulan。 〃Well； citizen；
now make a very handsome purchase； for the more you buy； the better
I shall like it。〃
〃Yes； I believe you；〃 replied Simon； laughing； 〃that is the way in
all stores。 I want something nice； I want to buy a hobby…horse。 But
mind you； citizen； show me one of your best ones； a real blood…
horse； for I tell you that he who is to ride it is of real blood
himself。〃
〃We happen unfortunately to have a limited supply of the article；〃
said the clerk； with a shrug。 〃They do not come exactly in our line。
But there has been so much demand for hobby…horses of late that we
have ordered some； and if you will wait a few days； citizen〃
〃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