"Why do you say such things to injure me? Is that what Monsieur Barouche tells you to say?"
Roudin shook his head protestingly.
"If Monsieur Barouche does that he oughtn't to hold the seat, he ought to be sent back to his law offices."
"No, I didn't hear it from M'sieu' Barouche. I get it from better hands than his," answered Roudin.
"Better hands than his, eh? From the lady herself, perhaps?"
"Yes, from the lady herself, m'sieu'."
"Then bring the lady here and let us have it out, monsieur. It's a lie.
Bring the lady here, if you know her."
Roudin shrugged a shoulder. "I know what I know, and I don't have to do what you say—no—no!"
"Then you're not honest. You do me harm by a story like that. I challenge you, and you don't respond. You say you know the woman, then produce her—there's no time to be lost. The poll closes in four hours. If you make such statements, prove them. It isn't playing the game— do you think so, messieurs?" he added to the crowd which had grown in numbers. At that moment a man came running from the en trance towards Carnac. It was Denzil.
"A letter for you, an important letter," he kept crying as he came nearer. He got the letter into Carnac's hands.