"I dare say," the warder answered uneasily; "but you must be guided by reason; time is going on, and things arrange themselves."
"They do when you help them," Gurn said peremptorily; "and you and I are going to help them."
"That remains to be seen," said the warder.
"Of course, everything has got to be paid for," Gurn went on. "One can't expect a warder to risk his situation merely to help a prisoner to escape." He smiled as the warder made an exclamation of nervous warning. "Don't be frightened, Nibet. We're not going to play any fool games, but let us talk seriously. Of course you have another appointment with the worthy lady who gave you that money?"
"I am to meet her to-night at eleven, in the boulevard Arago," Nibet said, after a moment's hesitation.
"Good," said Gurn. "Well, you are to tell her that I must have ten thousand francs."
"What?" exclaimed the man, in utter astonishment, but his eyes shone with greed.
"Ten thousand francs," Gurn repeated calmly, "and by to-morrow morning. Fifteen hundred of those are for you; I will go away to-morrow evening."
There was a tense silence; the warder seemed doubtful, and Gurn turned the whole of his will power upon him to persuade him.
"Idiot!" Gurn retorted; "all you will do will be to make a slip in your duty: I don't want you to be an accomplice. Listen: there will be another five thousand francs for you, and if things turn out awkwardly for you, all you will have to do will be to go across to England, and live there comfortably for the rest of your days."
The warder was obviously almost ready to comply.
"The lady, I tell you--the lady of the boulevard Arago. Here, give her this," and he tore a leaf out of his pocket-book and, scribbling a few words on it, handed it to Nibet.
"Well," said the warder hesitatingly: "I don't say 'no.'"
"You've got to say 'yes,'" Gurn retorted.
The two looked steadily in each other's eyes; then the warder blenched.
Nibet was going away, and was already almost in the corridor when Gurn calmly called him back.
"You will evolve a plan, and I will start to-morrow. Don't forget to bring me a time-table; the Orleans Company time-table will do."
The murderer was not disappointed in his expectations. The next morning Nibet appeared with a mysterious face and eager eyes. He took a small bundle from underneath his jersey and gave it to Gurn.