In the gloom inspiration visited him.

He called for lights and Babylas.

Both came, and he dispatched the lackey that lighted the tapers to summon Monsieur d'Aubran, the commander of the garrison of Grenoble.
In the interval before the soldier's coming he conferred with Babylas concerning what he had in mind, but he found his secretary singularly dull and unimaginative.

So that, perforce, he must fall back upon himself.

He sat glum and thoughtful, his mind in unproductive travail, until the captain was announced.
Still without any definite plan, he blundered headlong, nevertheless, into the necessary first step towards the fulfilment of his purpose.
"Captain," said he, looking mighty grave, "I have cause to believe that all is not as it should be in the hills in the district of Montelimar." "Is there trouble, monsieur ?" inquired the captain, startled.
"Maybe there is, maybe there is not," returned the Seneschal mysteriously.