“Oh, don’t!” said Carrbroke. “I thought we’d agreed that all that was buried, never to be dug up again. But look here, we must have it now; there is one thing I want to know.”
“What?” said Denis, with a peculiar mirthful look in his eyes.
“It is very horrible,” continued Carrbroke. “I did not mean to ask you, but I feel I must. Of course your Leoni believed he was doing right for the sake of France, and to serve his master, but I never understood where he managed to hide the ruby. Do you know?”
“I did not know till yesterday.”
“Ah, did he tell you then?—But no, I will not ask you to break his confidence.”
“It is not to break his confidence, for he did not tell me,” replied Denis. “I learned it from Saint Simon, for he saw it on the boat.”
“Saw the ruby in the boat?” cried Carrbroke. “Why, how did it get there?”
Denis was silent for a moment or two, and then whispered something, with a peculiar smile upon his lips as he placed them near his companion’s ear.
“What!” cried Carrbroke, starting back and staring in wonderment at his companion. “He hid it there? Then that accounts for his peculiar fixed look.”
“Yes. He was fencing when a young man, and his adversary’s rapier point completely destroyed his left eye.”