"These," said De Nevers, "are my father and my brothers and sisters."
Then came photographs of Lady Londonderry and the Earl and Countess of Dudley. My interest in my visitor's story had for the moment completely driven from my mind the real object of the interview, which, ostensibly, was to explain the reason for his incarceration. His straightforward narrative carried absolute conviction with it; that he was the legitimate Duc de Nevers I accepted without hesitation; that he was a man of education, culture and many accomplishments, was self evident.
"You have had an extraordinary career," I ventured.
"Yes," he replied, "it has been a life of action and I may say of suffering. Permit me to show you the certificate of my general that what I have told you is accurate."
And De Nevers unfolded from his pocket a document, bearing a seal of the French Ministry of War, which read as follows:
REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
MINISTERE DE LA GUERRE
CABINET DU MINISTERE
No. 195
PARIS, October 24, 1901.