“There, we must not bandy words, sir,” said the captain. “It is my duty to tell you that an attempt at escape may be at the cost of some of your lives. We will stay here the night. But now, gentlemen, I have one unpleasant duty to perform.”
“Our swords!” cried Denis hotly.
“No, sir,” said the captain, with a smile. “His Majesty would not desire that I should call upon you to suffer that indignity. My instructions were that in your hasty departure the other night one of you took by mistake something—papers, documents, I don’t know exactly what—but something to which his Majesty attaches great importance.”
“I hardly understand you,” said Leoni coolly.
“Perhaps one of your friends does, sir,” continued the captain. “Of course it was taken by mistake.”
“This means, I presume, that you consider yourself bound to search us?”
The captain bowed.
“Pray do so, then, but incommode my patient as little as you can. You have an easy task, sir, for our valises were left behind.”
As Leoni said, it was an easy task, for all offered themselves freely to the officer’s inspection, and soon after the latter signified that he was satisfied, and was about to leave the room. But as he reached the door he stopped short and turned to Leoni.
“One moment, sir,” he said. “Can you and will you answer for the Comte here, who seems to be insensible to what is going on?”