"I am mortally wounded and in dreadful pain," growled the Prince, the suppressed sobs interrupting his speech. "If I tell you where you can find a hundred thousand dollars, will you drive my knife through my heart?"
"Yes," said the thief.
"Then take the knife," he said.
The thief did so, eying {sic} it rapaciously--for it was diamond-studded and gold-mounted.
"But," said the Prince--villain himself and anticipating all villainy in others,--"if I tell you where the money is you will run away to seek it, and leave me here to die a slow and agonizing death."
"No," said the thief; "I promise you on my honor."
A thief's honor!
"I tell you what you must do," said the Prince, after thinking a moment. "Kneel down and lean over me; put your arms around me; I cannot hold you with my hands, for they are paralyzed; but put the lapel of your coat between my teeth. I will then tell you where the treasure is; but I will hold on to you by my teeth until you kill me. You will have to slay me to escape from me.
The thief did as he was directed; his arms were around the Prince; the lapel of his coat was between the Prince's teeth; and then through his shut teeth, tight clenched on the coat, the Prince muttered:
"It is in the satchel beneath me."