lazy dogs of mine are snoring beneath me? Come up this instant,
Gilles. And," I added as an afterthought, "you had best sleep here
in my room."

"At once, monseigneur," answered he, but I caught the faintest
tinge of surprise in his accents, for never yet had it fallen to
the lot of sturdy, clumsy Gilles to assist me at my toilet.

The landlord muttered something, and I heard Gilles whispering his
reply. Then the stairs creaked under his heavy tread.

In my room I told him in half a dozen words what was afoot. For
answer, he swore a great oath that the landlord had mulled a stoup
of wine for him, which he never doubted now was drugged. I bade
him go below and fetch the wine, telling the landlord that I, too
had a fancy for it.

"But what of Antoine?" he asked. "They will drug him."

"Let them. We can manage this affair, you and I, without his help.
If they did not drug him, they might haply stab him. So that in
being drugged lies his safety."

As I bade him so he did, and presently he returned with a great
steaming measure. This I emptied into a ewer, then returned it to
him that he might take it back to the host with my thanks and our
appreciation. Thus should we give them confidence that the way
was clear and smooth for them.

Thereafter there befell precisely that which already you will be