"Our
night work is done! Let us see what day will bring forth! You must
see to it to-morrow, Bigot, that no man or woman alive ever again
enter this accursed chamber of death!"
Cadet fastened the secret door of the stair, and gathering up his
spades and bar of iron, left the chamber with Bigot, who was passive
as a child in his hands. The Intendant turned round and gave one
last sorrowful look at the now darkened room as they left it. Cadet
and he made their way back to the tower. They sallied out into the
open air, which blew fresh and reviving upon their fevered faces
after escaping from the stifling atmosphere below.
They proceeded at once towards their horses and mounted them, but
Bigot felt deadly faint and halted under a tree while Cadet rode
back to the porter's lodge and roused up old Marcele to give him
some brandy, if he had any, "as of course he had," said Cadet.
"Brandy was a gate-porter's inside livery, the lining of his laced
coat which he always wore. Cadet assumed a levity which he did not
really feel.
Marcele fortunately could oblige the Sieur Cadet.
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