I thought of the wakefulness which I had marked in the streets, the silent hurrying to and fro, the signs of coming strife, and contrasted these with the quietude and seeming safety of Mirepoix's house; and I hastily asked Pavannes at what time he had been arrested.
"About an hour before midnight," he answered.
"Then you know nothing of what is happening ?" I replied quickly.

"Why, even while we are loitering here--but listen!" And with all speed, stammering indeed in my haste and anxiety, I told him what I had noticed in the streets, and the hints I had heard, and I showed him the badges with which Madame had furnished me.
His manner when he had heard me out frightened me still more.

He drew me on in a kind of fury to a house in the windows of which some lighted candles had appeared not a minute before.
"The ring!" he cried, "let me see the ring! Whose is it ?" He held up my hand to this chance light and we looked at the ring.

It was a heavy gold signet, with one curious characteristic: it had two facets.

On one of these was engraved the letter "H," and above it a crown.