"I take you prisoner."
"I defy you to do so."
And l'Imânus, bending over the burning match, blew his last breath on the fire and died.
A few moments later, Gauvain and Cimourdain, and all the others entered the hall. All saw the opening. They explored the recesses, they examined the stairway. It led into the ravine. They assured themselves that the enemy had escaped. They shook l'Imânus. He was dead. Gauvain, with a lantern in his hand, examined the stone, which had given escape to the besieged; he had heard of this turning stone, but he, too, considered the legend as a fable. As he was looking at the stone he noticed something written with a pencil; he held the lantern near and read this,—
"Au revoir, monsieur le vicomte.—Lantenac."
Guéchamp had rejoined Gauvain. Pursuit was evidently useless. Their escape was complete; the whole country was in favor of the fugitive; the thicket, the ravine, the copse, the natives; they were, doubtless, already far away; there was no way to find them; and the whole forest of Fougères was an immense hiding-place.
What was to be done? all would have to be begun over again. Gauvain and Guéchamp expressed their disappointment and their conjectures.
Cimourdain listened in solemn silence.
"By the way, Guéchamp," said Gauvain, "where is the ladder?"
"Commander, it has not come."
"But still we saw a wagon escorted by mounted men."
Guechamp replied,—
"It did not bring the ladder."
"What did it bring, then?"
"The guillotine," said Cimourdain.
