More quick footsteps in the corridor. Mayenne hitched his chair about, sidewise to the table and to us, facing the outer door. A tall man in black entered, saluting the general from the threshold.
"So you have come back?" spoke the duke in his even tones. It was impossible to tell whether the words were a welcome or a sentence.
"Yes," answered the other, in a voice as noncommittal as Mayenne's own. He shut the door after him and walked over to the table.
"And how goes it?"
"Badly."
The newcomer threw his hat aside and sat down without waiting for an invitation.
"What! Badly, sirrah!" Mayenne exclaimed sharply. "You come to me with that report?"
"I do, monsieur," answered the other with cool insolence, leaning back in his chair. The light fell directly on his face and proved to me what I had guessed at his first word. The duke's night visitor was Lucas. "Yes," he repeated indifferently, "it has gone badly. In fact, your game is up."
Mayenne jumped to his feet, bringing his fist down on the table.
"You tell me this?"