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thinking he had in some way offended his dangerous master。
〃Devil or angel； I have him； the guilty man！〃 cried Louis XI。
abruptly。 〃If you are robbed again to…night； I shall know to…morrow
who did it。 Make that old hag you call your sister come here；〃 he
added。
Cornelius almost hesitated to leave the king alone in the room with
his hoards； but the bitter smile on Louis's withered lips determined
him。 Nevertheless he hurried back； followed by the old woman。
〃Have you any flour？〃 demanded the king。
〃Oh yes； we have laid in our stock for the winter；〃 she answered。
〃Well； go and fetch some；〃 said the king。
〃What do you want to do with our flour； sire？〃 she cried； not the
least impressed by his royal majesty。
〃Old fool！〃 said Cornelius； 〃go and execute the orders of our gracious
master。 Shall the king lack flour？〃
〃Our good flour！〃 she grumbled； as she went downstairs。 〃Ah！ my
flour！〃
Then she returned； and said to the king：
〃Sire； is it only a royal notion to examine my flour？〃
At last she reappeared； bearing one of those stout linen bags which；
from time immemorial； have been used in Touraine to carry or bring； to
and from market； nuts； fruits； or wheat。 The bag was half full of
flour。 The housekeeper opened it and showed it to the king； on whom
she cast the rapid； savage look with which old maids appear to squirt
venom upon men。
〃It costs six sous the 'septeree；'〃 she said。
〃What does that matter？〃 said the king。 〃Spread it on the floor； but
be careful to make an even layer of itas if it had fallen like
snow。〃
The old maid did not comprehend。 This proposal astonished her as
though the end of the world had come。
〃My flour； sire！ on the ground！ But〃
Maitre Cornelius； who was beginning to understand； though vaguely； the
intentions of the king； seized the bag and gently poured its contents
on the floor。 The old woman quivered； but she held out her hand for
the empty bag； and when her brother gave it back to her she
disappeared with a heavy sigh。
Cornelius then took a feather broom and gently smoothed the flour till
it looked like a fall of snow； retreating step by step as he did so；
followed by the king； who seemed much amused by the operation。 When
they reached the door Louis XI。 said to his silversmith； 〃Are there
two keys to the lock？〃
〃No； sire。〃
The king then examined the structure of the door； which was braced
with large plates and bars of iron； all of which converged to a secret
lock； the key of which was kept by Cornelius。
After examining everything； the king sent for Tristan； and ordered him
to post several of his men for the night； and with the greatest
secrecy； in the mulberry trees on the embankment and on the roofs of
the adjoining houses； and to assemble at once the rest of his men and
escort him back to Plessis； so as to give the idea in the town that he
himself would not sup with Cornelius。 Next； he told the miser to close
his windows with the utmost care； that no single ray of light should
escape from the house； and then he departed with much pomp for Plessis
along the embankment； but there he secretly left his escort； and
returned by a door in the ramparts to the house of the torconnier。 All
these precautions were so well taken that the people of Tours really
thought the king had returned to Plessis； and would sup on the morrow
with Cornelius。
Towards eight o'clock that evening； as the king was supping with his
physician； Cornelius； and the captain of his guard； and holding much
jovial converse； forgetting for the time being that he was ill and in
danger of death； the deepest silence reigned without； and all passers；
even the wariest robber； would have believed that the Malemaison was
occupied as usual。
〃I hope；〃 said the king； laughing； 〃that my silversmith shall be
robbed to…night； so that my curiosity may be satisfied。 Therefore；
messieurs； no one is to leave his chamber to…morrow morning without my
order； under pain of grievous punishment。〃
Thereupon； all went to bed。 The next morning； Louis XI。 was the first
to leave his apartment； and he went at once to the door of the strong…
room。 He was not a little astonished to see； as he went along； the
marks of a large foot along the stairways and corridors of the house。
Carefully avoiding those precious footprints； he followed them to the
door of the treasure…room； which he found locked without a sign of
fracture or defacement。 Then he studied the direction of the steps；
but as they grew gradually fainter； they finally left not the
slightest trace； and it was impossible for him to discover where the
robber had fled。
〃Ho； crony！〃 called out the king； 〃you have been finely robbed this
time。〃
At these words the old Fleming hurried out of his chamber； visibly
terrified。 Louis XI。 made him look at the foot…prints on the stairs
and corridors； and while examining them himself for the second time；
the king chanced to observe the miser's slippers and recognized the
type of sole that was printed in flour on the corridors。 He said not a
word； and checked his laughter； remembering the innocent men who had
been hanged for the crime。 The miser now hurried to his treasure。 Once
in the room the king ordered him to make a new mark with his foot
beside those already existing； and easily convinced him that the
robber of his treasure was no other than himself。
〃The pearl necklace is gone！〃 cried Cornelius。 〃There is sorcery in
this。 I never left my room。〃
〃We'll know all about it now；〃 said the king； the evident truthfulness
of his silversmith making him still more thoughtful。
He immediately sent for the men he had stationed on the watch and
asked：
〃What did you see during the night？〃
〃Oh； sire！〃 said the lieutenant； 〃an amazing sight！ Your silversmith
crept down the side of the wall like a cat； so lightly that he seemed
to be a shadow。〃
〃I！〃 exclaimed Cornelius； after that one word； he remained silent； and
stood stock…still like a man who has lost the use of his limbs。
〃Go away； all of you；〃 said the king； addressing the archers； 〃and
tell Messieurs Conyngham； Coyctier； Bridore； and also Tristan； to
leave their rooms and come here to mine。You have incurred the
penalty of death；〃 he said to Cornelius； who； happily； did not hear
him。 〃You have ten murders on your conscience！〃
Thereupon Louis XI。 gave a silent laugh； and made a pause。 Presently；
remarking the strange pallor on the Fleming's face； he added：
〃You need not be uneasy； you are more valuable to bleed than to kill。
You can get out of the claws of MY justice by payment of a good round
sum to my treasury； but if you don't build at least one chapel in
honor of the Virgin； you are likely to find things hot for you
throughout eternity。〃
〃Twelve hundred and thirty； and eighty…seven thousand crowns； make
thirteen hundred and seventeen thousand crowns；〃 replied