'A Churchman's vow is worth a candle--or a candle and a half, is it ?' I continued ironically.

'I must have some security a great deal more substantial than that, father.' 'What ?' he asked, looking at me gloomily.
Seeing an opening, I cudgelled my brains to think of any condition which, being fulfilled, might turn the table on him and place him in my power.

But his position was so strong, or my wits so weak, that nothing occurred to me at the time, and I sat looking at, him, my mind gradually passing from the possibility of escape to the actual danger in which I stood, and which encompassed also Simon Fleix, and, in a degree, doubtless, M.de Rambouillet.

In four or five days, too, Mademoiselle de la Vire would arrive.

I wondered if I could send any warning to her; and then, again, I doubted the wisdom of interfering with M.de Rosny's plans, the more as Maignan, who had gone to fetch mademoiselle, was of a kind to disregard any orders save his master's.
'Well!' said the monk, impatiently recalling me to myself, 'what security do you want ?' 'I am not quite sure at this moment,' I made answer slowly.