of himself, I read a lie in those tell-tale eyes all the time that he
was talking. As I looked at him now in the full light of the lamp and
the fire, I could see that he was even more good-looking than I had at
first thought, but with a type of beauty which has never been to my
taste. His features were so refined as to be almost effeminate, and so
regular that they would have been perfect if it had not been for that
ill-fitting, slabbing mouth. It was a clever, and yet it was a weak
face, full of a sort of fickle enthusiasm and feeble impulsiveness.
I felt that the more I knew him the less reason I should probably find
either to like him or to fear him, and in my first conclusion I was
right, although I had occasion to change my views upon the second.

'You will forgive me, Monsieur Laval, if I was a little cold at first,'
said he. 'Since the Emperor has been upon the coast the place swarms
with police agents, so that a trader must look to his own interests.
You will allow that my fears of you were not unnatural, since neither
your dress nor your appearance were such as one would expect to meet
with in such a place and at such a time.'

It was on my lips to return the remark, but I refrained.

'I can assure you,' said I, 'that I am merely a traveller who have lost
my way. Now that I am refreshed and rested I will not encroach further
upon your hospitality, except to ask you to point out the way to the
nearest village.'

'Tut; you had best stay where you are, for the night grows wilder every
instant.' As he spoke there came a whoop and scream of wind in the
chimney, as if the old place were coming down about our ears. He walked
across to the window and looked very earnestly out of it, just as I had