"You afraid? And of what?" the two young men exclaimed in surprise.
"I am afraid, because this long story must shortly have its conclusion; because this conclusion must be terrible and though when I came here I intended to ask your assistance, I have since reflected, and recoil from the idea of mixing you up, you who are so young, happy, and careless, even indirectly, in this horrible story to which you ought to remain strangers. Pray, my friends, forget all you have heard—it is only a story told after drinking."
"No, on my honour, don Adolfo," the count exclaimed, energetically, "it shall not be so, I swear, and I speak for myself and Dominique: you want us and here we are. I know not what mysterious interest you have in this affair. I do not even wish to discover the motives that lead you to act, but I repeat to you, if you were to send us away when you are going to incur a great danger, which we might, perhaps, protect you from by sharing it with you, it would be a proof to us that you entertain neither esteem nor friendship, and that you regard us rather as thoughtless young people than men of courage."
"You go too far, my dear count!" the adventurer warmly exclaimed. "I never had such ideas, far from it. Still, I repeat, I tremble at the thought of mixing you up in this affair, which does not concern you."
"Pardon me, my friend; from the moment it interests you, it concerns us, and we have the right to mix ourselves up in it."
The adventurer hung his head and began walking up and down the room again in great agitation.
"Well, be it so, my friends," he said at the end of a moment, "since you insist, we will act in concert. You will aid me in what I have undertaken, and I hope that we shall succeed."
"I feel convinced of it," said the count.
"Let us go then," Dominique said, rising from the table.
"Not yet: but the moment is at hand. I swear to you that you will not have long to wait. Now, one last toast, and good-bye. Ah! I forgot: in the event of my not being able to come to you myself, this is the signal—one and two make three. It is very simple and you will remember it, I think?"