“Why do you adopt this attitude to me, then, if you have an eye to a particular sort of fee?”
“Perhaps I wanted proof that the old man was past levying toll on.” A wicked smile wrinkled his mouth. “Perhaps I satisfied myself he was, and from you I expected no consideration or justice.”
“You can leave that out of the question. A mere business contract is another matter, and that is what I come to propose.”
“Oh, indeed!”
He said it with a sneer, but moved nevertheless nearer the table, so that we could talk without raising our voices.
“May I ask the nature of this stupendous contract?”
“I will tell you without asking. I make you this offer—to hand over to you all that remains of the treasure on one condition.”
“And that is?”
“That you tell me how my brother Modred came by his death.”
He gave a little start; then dropped his eyes, frowning, and drummed with his fingers on the table. I saw he understood; that he was groping in his mind for some middle course, whereby he could satisfy all parties and secure the prize for himself.