"What, then," I cried, frowning, "of the stuff Master la Riviere is to
give you to take the king's life to-morrow night? Oh, we know something, I
assure you; bethink you quickly, and find your tongue if you would have an
easy death."
I expected to see his self-control break down at this proof of our
knowledge of his design, but he only stared at me with the same look of
bewilderment. I was about to bid them bring in the informer that I might
see the two front to front, when the female prisoner, who had hitherto
stood beside her companion in such distress and terror as might be
expected in a woman of that class, suddenly stopped her tears and
lamentations. It occurred to me that she might make a better witness. I
turned to her, but when I would have questioned her she broke into a wild
scream of hysterical laughter.
From that I remember that I learned nothing, though it greatly annoyed me.
But there was one present who did--the king. He laid his hand on my
shoulder, gripping it with a force that I read as a command to be silent.
"Where," he said to the man, "do you keep the King and Sully and Epernon,
my friend?"
"The King and Sully--with the lordship's leave," said the man quickly,
with a frightened glance at me--"are in the kennels at the back of the
house, but it is not safe to go near them. The King is raving mad,
and--and the other dog is sickening.
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