"The worthy father did not request the safe-conduct for himself: he is very well aware that his visit could only be agreeable to us."
"Ah! For whom, then?"
"For a person for whom he would be bail during the period of his stay among us, but whose name he kept secret."
"Hum! that is not clear."
"That is what I thought, so I urged the commandant to refuse."
"Well?"
"He granted the safe-conduct, alleging a reason which, by the way, is not so illogical—that the man for whom the safe-conduct is requested is evidently a friend or an enemy, and in either case it is good to know him, so as eventually to treat him as he deserves."
The two Frenchmen could not refrain from laughing at this singular logic.
"Well, and what is the result of all this?" the count continued.
"The result is that Father Seraphin arrived this morning at the mission, accompanied by a person carefully wrapped up in a large cloak."