"And he is now in Paris?"
"Or elsewhere, abbé."
"For God's sake, let us talk seriously, my dear doctor, the time is precious. See here what has been written to me and you will judge of the importance of the letter.
"'M. Abbé:—I know that you are very intimate with the celebrated Doctor Gasterini; you can render him a great service. His nephew, Captain Horace, is compromised in a very disagreeable affair; although he has succeeded in hiding himself up to this time, his retreat has been discovered and perhaps, at the moment that I am writing to you, his person has been seized.'"
The abbé stopped and looked attentively at the doctor.
The doctor remained impassible.
Surprised at this indifference, the abbé said, in a pathetic tone:
"Ah, my poor doctor, what cruel suffering for you! But what has this unfortunate captain done?"
"I know nothing about it, abbé, continue."
Evidently the saintly man expected another result of the reading of his letter. However, not allowing himself to be disconcerted, he continued: