“These others must not know,” I began, “not yet.”
“They shall not know.”
There was something in his tone that drew my eyes to his face. I saw that it was set as with great suffering. Could it be that he so loved his master?
“M. le Duc is injured,” I said, “very badly,—so badly, I fear, he will not live.”
“But he still lives?” he demanded eagerly.
“Oh, yes, and will for a day—perhaps two days.”
He breathed a great sigh of relief.
“Thank you, M. de Marsan,” he said. “I think my place is with him. I shall soon follow you.”
He left me abruptly, and I stared after him until the darkness hid him. There was some mystery in his manner I could not penetrate. But I did not ponder it long, for two figures emerged from the doorway opposite and I saw that one was Claire.
She came straight to me.