The old man's laugh dissipated her fears.
"That iron back is set in a wall of granite two feet thick," he said.
"We can hear them, but they can't hear us."
Then he took the hand of his preserver and placed it near a crevice
through which a current of fresh air was blowing. She then perceived
that the opening was made in the shaft of the chimney.
"Ai! ai!" cried d'Orgemont. "The devil! how my legs smart!"
The Chouans, having finished their prayer, departed, and the old miser
again caught the hand of his companion and helped her to climb some
narrow winding steps cut in the granite wall. When they had mounted
some twenty of these steps the gleam of a lamp dimly lighted their
heads. The miser stopped, turned to his companion, examined her face
as if it were a bank note he was doubtful about cashing, and heaved a
heavy sigh.
"By bringing you here," he said, after a moment's silence, "I have
paid you in full for the service you did me; I don't see why I should
give you--"
"Monsieur, I ask nothing of you," she said.
These words, and also, perhaps, the disdainful expression on the
beautiful face, reassured the old man, for he answered, not without a
sigh, "Ah! if you take it that way, I have gone too far not to
continue on."
He politely assisted Marie to climb a few more steps rather strangely
constructed, and half willingly, half reluctantly, ushered her into a
small closet about four feet square, lighted by a lamp hanging from
the ceiling.
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