"Ah! Monsieur, these are terrible days, but you will not say again that you poisoned Fanfar."
Fongereues shuddered, and endeavored to hide his face.
Labarre felt dizzy with horror. "Answer me," he repeated.
Fongereues answered in a low voice:
"Kill me! I have killed my son!"
The old servant started forward as if to fell the Marquis to the earth, but suddenly he remembered his old master, the man whom he had loved so tenderly, and he could not harm his son. He half turned away.
"Tell me the whole," he faltered, "I must know the whole."
"Yes," stammered the Marquis. "Cyprien, who is my slave, poisoned him. I determined to have the fortune without longer delay. I bade him do this deed, and he obeyed me. I am accursed!"
Labarre went toward the door.
"Farewell!" he said.