d'Herblay did not say a word about that." "Give me the keys at once!" cried Fouquet, tearing them from his hand.
"Which is the key of the door I am to open ?" "That one." A fearful cry, followed by a violent blow against the door, made the whole staircase resound with the echo.
"Leave this place," said Fouquet to Baisemeaux, in a threatening tone.
"I ask nothing better," murmured the latter, to himself.

"There will be a couple of madmen face to face, and the one will kill the other, I am sure." "Go!" repeated Fouquet.

"If you place your foot on this staircase before I call you, remember that you shall take the place of the meanest prisoner in the Bastile." "This job will kill me, I am sure it will," muttered Baisemeaux, as he withdrew with tottering steps.
The prisoner's cries became more and more terrible.

When Fouquet had satisfied himself that Baisemeaux had reached the bottom of the staircase, he inserted the key in the first lock.

It was then that he heard the hoarse, choking voice of the king, crying out, in a frenzy of rage, "Help, help! I am the king." The key of the second door was not the same as the first, and Fouquet was obliged to look for it on the bunch.