Lesage looked at him with amazement gradually replacing terror upon his pallid features.

‘But you do not understand, Charles,’ he cried.

‘Oh, yes, I think I do,’ said the other, smiling.

’They may be here in a few minutes.  The hound has slipped its leash, you see, and has left them behind in the marsh; but they are sure to come here, for there is no other cottage but this.’

‘They are sure to come here.’

‘Well, then, let us fly.  In the darkness we may yet escape.’

‘No; we shall stay where we are.’

’Madman, you may sacrifice your own life, but not mine.  Stay if you wish, but for my part I am going.’

He ran towards the door with a foolish, helpless flapping of his hands, but the other sprang in front of him with so determined a gesture of authority that the younger man staggered back from it as from a blow.

‘You fool!’ said his companion.  ‘You poor miserable dupe!’

Lesage’s mouth opened, and he stood staring with his knees bent and his spread-fingered hands up, the most hideous picture of fear that I have ever seen.

‘You, Charles, you!’ he stammered, hawking up each word.

‘Yes, me,’ said the other, smiling grimly.

’A police agent all the time!  You who were the very soul of our society!  You who were in our inmost council!  You who led us on!  Oh, Charles, you have not the heart!  I think I hear them coming, Charles.  Let me pass; I beg and implore you to let me pass.’

The granite face shook slowly from side to side.

‘But why me?  Why not Toussac?’

’If the dog had crippled Toussac, why then I might have had you both.  But friend Toussac is rather vigorous for a thin little fellow like me.  No, no, my good Lucien, you are destined to be the trophy of my bow and my spear, and you must reconcile yourself to the fact.’

Lesage slapped his forehead as if to assure himself that he was not dreaming.

‘A police agent!’ he repeated, ‘Charles a police agent!’

‘I thought it would surprise you.’

’But you were the most republican of us all.  We were none of us advanced enough for you.  How often have we gathered round you, Charles, to listen to your philosophy!  And there is Sibylle, too!  Don’t tell me that Sibylle was a police spy also.  But you are joking, Charles.  Say that you are joking!’

The man relaxed his grim features, and his eyes puckered with amusement.

‘Your astonishment is very flattering,’ said he.  ’I confess that I thought that I played my part rather cleverly.  It is not my fault that these bunglers unleashed their hound, but at least I shall have the credit of having made a single-handed capture of one very desperate and dangerous conspirator.’  He smiled drily at this description of his prisoner.  ‘The Emperor knows how to reward his friends,’ he added, ‘and also how to punish his enemies.’