his secret, he could not decide; but he had not been able to obtain any direct avowal of the crime, though she had admitted having been employed by the Count of Artois secretly to copy. papers-though not those in question-for doing which, if she succeeded well, he had promised a handsome reward; and at the same time forbade her-sous peine de la harte-that is, under penalty of the halter, to say aught respecting them to any but himself.

The man ended his relation with declaring a firm conviction that Devion was the forger of the documents; and that, though he had not been able to elicit an avowal, yet that were she sent for, she would not carry her insolence so far as to venture denying the crime before so august an assembly, presided over by the King in person.

CHAPTER III.

In the foregoing detail, I have confined myself to acquainting the reader with the bare facts which Martin related, and have not hitherto attempted to pourtray his personal appearance, or manner of narrating; yet, as a man's physiognomy and carriage have-in spite of our best endeavours to the contrary-a great influence upon the credit we afford his story, I will just give a slight sketch of his.

Neither his mien nor his manner was prepossessing. He was a short, strongly-built, thickset man, with high shoulders, which met the ends of his lank and red hair. His face was round, and thickly covered with marks left by the smallpox.

His walk was such as we may suppose would be that of one, who, stepping barefooted on a carding comb or harrow, and feeling his feet at every instant pierced by its teeth, attempts, by stooping, to lessen the weight of his body. This, however, did not prevent him from either feeling, or else affecting to feel, quite at his ease in the assembly before which he had been called; and from beneath his bushy and sand-coloured eyebrows, he sometimes cast round him a glance which evinced cunning, malice, assurance, and a power of being insolent where he dared.

His language was such as might have been expected from his person-it was coarse, vulgar, filled with trite sentiments and allusions, and so replete with provincialisms and patois, that he was frequently questioned as to their meaning.

The man having finished his narration, the King turned towards his Prothonotary.

"Bertrand! Go thou forth; bid two huissiers seek the woman out, and bring her hither;-I will myself hear her queried on this matter. And hark'e, Bertrand-let not the fellows know the need we have with her."

Bertrand left the chamber; and having shortly performed his commission, returned to wait with the rest for the arrival of Devion.

At last she came, conducted by two huissiers or constables. She had the appearance of being about forty years of age-was tall, slightly made, and of a pale delicate complexion; her countenance was oval and meagre; without being, or ever having been, what is called handsome, the general cast of her features was pleasing; and her whole contour appeared to be the very reverse of Martin's.

Her eye bore an expression of intelligence; but a timid manner and hesitating step, evinced the extreme reluctance with which she now appeared in the presence of her Sovereign and his court; and this was by no means calculated to impress the council with a favourable opinion of her, or to make them listen indulgently to the answers she gave, or to the story she might have to relate.

"Come hither, woman," said Philip, addressing her, but pointing towards Martin, who stood regarding her in sullen silence, with his hands

knit one within the other behind his back."Knowest thou this man?"

"Sire," replied Devion fearfully, "I have known him.-I did once know some little of him. -He is one with whom I had a slight acquaintance at my arrival in Paris, about fourteen months agone-but I have seen little of him lately."

"Knowest thou also the cause of thy being now here, and wherefore thou'st been sent for?" No, Sire, I guess not for what purpose your Grace needeth me."

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""Tis strange that thou should'st be thus ignorant, woman! seeing that yon fellow-as he tells us-lately had some talk with thee, which should, methinks, have led thee to a shrewd guess of that I ask."

The King spoke these words in so sharp a tone of voice, that Devion, who had all along shown signs of great timidity, now became more confused, and could only reply by repeating her former assertion-that she knew not, nor could guess, the King's object in sending for her.

"I hear thou hast been well instructed, and