“The sentiment sounds estimable,” answered the Duke; “but as for life and death, and what we are or what we may be, we are the sport of Fate.” His brow clouded. “I myself was born under a monarchy; I shall probably die under a Republic. I was born a Frenchman; I may die—”
His tone had become low and cynical, and he broke off suddenly, as though he had said more than he meant. “Then you are a Norman, monsieur,” he added in a louder tone.
“Once all Jerseymen were Normans, and so were many Englishmen, monseigneur.”
“I come of Norman stock too, monsieur,” remarked the Duke graciously, yet eyeing the young man keenly.
“Monseigneur has not the kindred advantage of being English?” added the prisoner dryly.
The Duke protested with a deprecatory wave of the fingers and a flash of the sharp eyes, and then, after a slight pause, said: “What is your name, monsieur?”
“Philip d’Avranche,” was the brief reply; then with droll impudence: “And monseigneur’s, by monseigneur’s leave?”
The Duke smiled, and that smile relieved the sourness, the fret of a face which had care and discontent written upon every line of it. It was a face that had never known happiness. It had known diversion, however, and unusual diversion it knew at this moment.
“My name,” he answered with a penetrating quizzical look, “—my name is Philip d’Avranche.”
The young man’s quick, watchful eyes fixed themselves like needles on the Duke’s face. Through his brain there ran a succession of queries and speculations, and dominating them all one clear question-was he to gain anything by this strange conversation? Who was this great man with a name the same as his own, this crabbed nobleman with skin as yellow as an orange, and body like an orange squeezed dry? He surely meant him no harm, however, for flashes of kindliness had lighted the shrivelled face as he talked. His look was bent in piercing comment upon Philip, who, trying hard to solve the mystery, now made a tentative rejoinder to his strange statement. Rising from his chair and bowing, he said, with shrewd foreknowledge of the effect of his words: