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