By way of instructions he explained to Corentin the otherwise inexplicable personality of Michu, who had been watched by the police for the last three years.

Corentin's idea was that of his master: "Malin knows all about the conspiracy--But," he added to himself, "perhaps Fouche does, too; who knows ?" Corentin, having started for Troyes before Malin, had made arrangements with the commandant of the gendarmerie in that town, who picked out a number of his most intelligent men and placed them under orders of an able captain.

Corentin chose Gondreville as the place of rendezvous, and directed the captain to send some of his men at night in four detachments to different points of the valley of Cinq-Cygne at sufficient distance from each other to cause no alarm.

These four pickets were to form a square and close in around the chateau of Cinq-Cygne.

By leaving Corentin alone at Gondreville during his consultation in the fields with Grevin, Malin had enabled him to fulfil part of Fouche's orders and explore the house.