hesitate; and my heart beat fast. At last he looked at the
lieutenant. 'You may leave us,' he said shortly. 'Now,' he
continued, when the officer had withdrawn and left us alone,
'what is it? Say what you have to say quickly. And, above all,
do not try to fool me, M. de Berault.'

But his piercing eyes so disconcerted me now that I had my
chance, and was alone with him, that I could not find a word to
say, and stood before him mute. I think this pleased him, for
his face relaxed.

'Well?' he said at last. 'Is that all?'

'The man is not dead,' I muttered.

He shrugged his shoulders contemptuously.

'What of that?' he said. 'That was not what you wanted to say
to me.'

'Once I saved your Eminence's life,' I faltered miserably.

'Admitted,' he answered, in his thin, incisive voice. 'You
mentioned the fact before. On the other hand, you have taken six
to my knowledge, M. de Berault. You have lived the life of a
bully, a common bravo, a gamester. You, a man of family! For
shame! Do you wonder that it has brought you to this! Yet on
that one point I am willing to hear more,' he added abruptly.

'I might save your Eminence's life again,' I cried. It was a