He turned his
face towards me, and in the moonlight I could make out his questioning
glance.
"Eh, bien, Monsieur?"
"I am more than grateful to you, M. de Montr?sor," I replied, "and I freely
give you my word of honour to seek no means of eluding you, nor to avail
myself of any that may be presented to me."
I said this loud enough for those behind to hear, so that no surprise was
evinced when the lieutenant bade the man who bore my sword return it to me.
If he who may chance to read these simple pages shall have gathered aught
of my character from their perusal, he will marvel, perchance, that I
should give the lieutenant my parole, instead rather of watching for an
opportunity to--at least--attempt an escape. Preeminent in my thoughts,
however, stood at that moment the necessity to remove St. Auban, and
methought that by acting as I did I saw a way by which, haply, I might
accomplish this. What might thereafter befall me seemed of little moment.
"M. de Montr?sor," I said presently, "your kindness impels me to set a
further tax upon your generosity."
"That is, Monsieur?"
"Bid your men fall back a little, and I will tell you.
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