A knife-thrust in the ribs, and another body in the ditch--why
not, when such things were done outside? But even these doubted now; and
M. Peridol, the lieutenant, reading in the eyes of his men the suspicions
which he had himself conceived, was only anxious to obey, if they would
let him. So gravely was he impressed, indeed, by the bearing of the
unknown that he turned when he had withdrawn, and came back to assure
himself that the men meditated no harm in his absence; nor until he had
exchanged a whisper with one of them would he leave them and go.
While he was gone on his errand the envoy leaned against the wall of the
gateway, and, with his chin sunk on his breast and his mind fallen into
reverie, seemed unconscious of the dark glances of which he was the
target. He remained in this position until the officer came back,
followed by a man with a lanthorn. Their coming roused the unknown, who,
invited to follow Peridol, traversed two courts without remark, and in
the same silence entered a building in the extreme eastern corner of the
enceinte abutting on the ruined Tour de Billy. Here, in an upper floor,
the Governor of the Arsenal had established his temporary lodging.
The chamber into which the stranger was introduced betrayed the haste in
which it had been prepared for its occupant.
Pages:
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172