'
'To what end?' he answered, turning and eyeing me with cold
disfavour. 'I know you--your past--all. It can do no good, my
friend.'
'No harm!' I cried. 'And I am a dying man, Monseigneur!'
'That is true,' he said thoughtfully. Still he seemed to
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continued, when the officer had withdrawn and left us alone,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.
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