"You see, he is attending to my horse."

"Pass, then."

"Quick, my master," said the page.

Behind these men the door was closed, much to the discontent of the
crowd. Robert Briquet, meanwhile, had drawn near to the porter's lodge,
which had two windows, one looking toward Paris and the other into the
country. From this post he saw a man, who, coming from Paris at full
gallop, entered the lodge and said, "Here I am, M. de Loignac."

"Good. Where do you come from?"

"From the Porte St. Victor."

"Your number?"--"Five."

"The cards?"

"Here they are."

De Loignac took them, examined them, and wrote on a slate the number
five. The messenger left, and two others appeared, almost immediately.
One came from the Porte Bourdelle, and brought the number four, the
other from the Porte du Temple, and announced six. Then came four
others. The first from the Porte St. Denis, with the number five; the
next from the Porte St. Jacques, with the number three; the third from
the Porte St. Honore, with the number eight; and the fourth from the