“Of that I can give no explanation,” replied the general; “but I am in possession of such information as can account for his presence at the château, and establish his innocence on that point.”
“Indeed!” cried the advocate, for such he was; “with that much may be done.”
“Unhappily, however,” rejoined the general, “if such a disclosure is not necessary to save his life, I cannot venture to give it; the ruin of another must follow the explanation.”
“Without it he is lost,” said the advocate, solemnly.
“And would not accept of life with it,” said I, boldly, as I started up in my bed, and looked fixedly at them.
The general sprang back, astonished and speechless; but the advocate, with more command over his emotions, cast his eyes upon the paper before him, and quickly asked,—
“And the commission; how do you account for that?”
“It was offered to and refused by me. He who made the proposal forgot it on my table, and I was about to restore it when I was made prisoner.”
“What condition was attached to your acceptance of it?”
“Some vague, indistinct proposals were made to me to join a conspiracy of which I was neither told the object nor intentions. Indeed, I stopped any disclosure by rejecting the bribe.”