"That is true; I am to blame."
"By no means, for in your absence I took upon myself to give orders."
"I thank you, dear Don Zeno."
"In leaving the house of the Marchioness de Castelmelhor, where I had gone this morning, one of your aides-de-camp, general, who was looking for you, and wished to mount horse to join you, gave me the news of this flight; I immediately dispatched detachments in all directions in pursuit of the fugitives."
"Very good."
"These detachments have returned, except one, without learning any news of the prisoners."
"This is a serious affair, and which cannot but further complicate the difficult position in which we find ourselves just now."
"I did not stop there, Monsieur le Gouverneur," answered Don Zeno; "I went to the prison to ask the director about the particulars of the escape; moreover, I dispersed through the town some intelligent persons, whom I charged to converse about the matter, and to report to me what they heard."
"You could not have been more prudent or better advised, my dear Don Zeno; I congratulate you with all my heart."
"You give too much importance to so simple a thing."