"The day before yesterday, just as the prince, all wounded as he was, was
about, by my advice, to take his departure for Paris, a fine carriage
arrived, with superb presents for Djalma, from an unknown friend. In this
carriage were two men--one sent by the unknown friend--the other a
doctor, sent by you to attend upon Djalma, and accompany him to Paris. It
was a charitable act, brother--was it not so?"

"Go on with your story, sir."

"Djalma set out yesterday. By declaring that the prince's wound would
grow seriously worse, if he did not lie down in the carriage during all
the journey, the doctor got rid of the envoy of the unknown friend, who
went away by himself. The doctor wished to get rid of me too; but Djalma
so strongly insisted upon it, that I accompanied the prince and doctor.
Yesterday evening, we had come about half the distance. The doctor
proposed we should pass the night at an inn. 'We have plenty of time,'
said he, 'to reach Paris by to-morrow evening'--the prince having told
him, that he must absolutely be in Paris by the evening of the 12th. The
doctor had been very pressing to set out alone with the prince. I knew by
Van Dael's letter, that it was of great importance to you for Djalma not
to be here on the 13th; I had my suspicions, and I asked the doctor if he
knew you; he answered with an embarrassed air, and then my suspicion
became certainty. When we reached the inn, whilst the doctor was occupied
with Djalma, I went up to the room of the former, and examined a box full
of phials that he had brought with him. One of them contained opium--and
then I guessed--"

"What did you guess, sir?"