Le Cabuc took his gun and aimed at the porter; but as he was below, and as it was very dark, the porter did not see him.

“Will you open, yes or no?”

“No, gentlemen.”

“Do you say no?”

“I say no, my goo⁠—”

The porter did not finish. The shot was fired; the ball entered under his chin and came out at the nape of his neck, after traversing the jugular vein.

The old man fell back without a sigh. The candle fell and was extinguished, and nothing more was to be seen except a motionless head lying on the sill of the small window, and a little whitish smoke which floated off towards the roof.

“There!” said Le Cabuc, dropping the butt end of his gun to the pavement.