"Nothing can excuse you," said De Loignac; "even if you were drunk you should be punished for that; and you shall be punished."
A terrible silence ensued. Then Pertinax said, "Pardon, monsieur! we are provincials, new to the court, and unaccustomed to politics."
"You should not have accepted your posts without weighing their duties."
"For the future we will be as mute as sepulchers, we swear to you."
"Good; but can you repair the evil you have done to-day?"
"We will try."
"It is impossible, I tell you."
"Then, for this time, pardon us."
"You live," continued De Loignac, "with a sort of license which I must repress. Those who find the terms too hard will return; I can easily replace them; but I warn you that justice will be done among us, secretly and expeditiously. Traitors will be punished with death on the spot."
Montcrabeau nearly fainted, and Pertinax grew paler than ever.