"Does he want money?" said the councillor; "he shall have it; let him speak!"
Lucilio shook his head by way of refusal.
The councillor seemed to be on burning coals.
"Come," said he, after a moment of agitated silence, "I will find out whether you are a learned man or a fool! Look at my hand and tell me something."
Lucilio looked at the councillor's hand, rose, turned to Adamas and, pointing to his scrawl, motioned to him to speak in his place.
"Yes! I see," said Adamas. "These symbols say that there is a man, a prince, who wishes to place the crown of France on his head. But where is the man who has that sign in his hand? I do not know him."
Lucilio pointed to the councillor's hand.
"Who am I, pray tell me?" said that personage, exceedingly surprised.
Lucilio wrote three words which the councillor alone read, and he with evident emotion. His face changed and his tone became gentler.
"And the king is dead?" he said, trembling in every limb, with terror or with joy. "You see that you must answer me, now!"