in person to continue to the end. It is useless for us to play like children at pretences. In your letters to me you have expressed your willingness to put yourself entirely in my hands, to do precisely what I tell you. Now, will you do it? If you will not, say so."
"My memory for such matters is short, monsieur, and in regard to all such communications I am as if I had never penned them"; replied Gerard, after a moment's pause.
"Then it is as I thought. You have some scheme of your own to further. What is it?" De Proballe was furious at the answer.
"If it be my own, as you suggest, should I be likely to disclose it to you?"
"You do not deny it?"
"I do not admit your right to question me."
"Do you intend to marry Gabrielle?"
"Without a doubt, if she will deign to marry me."
"Then why did you set a watch outside that babbler's door all through the night?"
"How do you know that I did?"
"No matter. I know it, and that is enough."
"I was right, then, in thinking you would choose the night for your work. I set the watch, monsieur, because I had no mind to be a party to your murderous scheme."
"You will repent this attitude."
"Very likely. Most of us spend our lives in either committing one blunder or repenting others."
"You tempt me to deem my act a blunder indeed in bringing you to Morvaix."
"That may be part of the better understanding, the reference to which opened our conversation. Need we say any more?"
"Before the day is done you may understand better," cried de Proballe, furiously.
"Shall we leave it, then, for the coming hours to de-
