"No," said he, in a husky voice, "I want to know where I stand."
"In that case, you look but ill to-day. But I trust my truthfulness may not mar the success of my business."
"What is it?" asked the King, passing one of his hands over his knitted brows.
"Well, Sire," said she, "the young man who has been arrested in the house of your treasurer Cornélius, and who is at this present in the hands of your Provost Marshal, is innocent of stealing the jewels of Bavaria."
"How do you know?" asked the King.
Marie hung her head, and blushed.
"I need not ask if there is a love-affair at the bottom of this," said Louis XI., gently raising his daughter's face, and stroking her chin. "If you do not confess every morning, child, you will go to hell."
"And cannot you oblige me without violating my secret thoughts?"
"What would be the pleasure of that?" exclaimed the King, seeing that there might be some amusement in the matter.
"Oh, but you would not wish your pleasure to cost me sorrow?"