"You will get neither the key nor the order, sir," he replied.
The Duke shrugged up his shoulders.
"You will compel me, then, to take a certain course," he answered. "I believe you have the key with you?"
He was right, the Don had it, but neither of us answered him.
"You will not answer," he proceeded. "Very well; silence gives consent. I believe you have it.
"That being so, I give you five minutes by this watch to make up your mind, Señor. At the conclusion of that period, we shall shoot you both as I shot the German they have been making such a fuss about in Bath, and take the key if you don't give it up. I have no doubt whatever I can get some clever fellow to copy your writing and manufacture me an order.
"At any rate, neither of you will be in a position to prevent me."
I confess that my blood ran cold at his words, as he took his watch out with his left hand and laid it on the seat. All my visions of happiness with Dolores seemed melting into shadows of grim death.
Don Juan, however, kept perfectly calm; there was scarcely a twitch on his face as he answered, although the colour had fled from it.
"That is all very well, sir," he replied coolly; "but what are you going to do with our bodies? You will be discovered, tried, and executed."