"I desire quite the contrary, in fact. I wish you to recall every circumstance of our former acquaintance, up to that night at Beausset—"
"For Heaven's sake, say no more!"
"I must, for I need a witness to authenticate certain facts. And that witness must be yourself."
"You forget, I fancy, that were I to reveal the truth the scaffold would be your end!"
"Ah! that is my affair, Sanselme. You have but to answer my questions truly. I rely on you, for really," sneered Benedetto, "you have quite the air of an honest man. You remember. Do you remember the night of the 24th of February, 1839?"
"Am I dreaming?" murmured Sanselme, hiding his face. "Can he really ask such a question?"
"Do you remember the little house behind the church?"
"Yes, yes, I remember."
"A certain person of my acquaintance had a little business to attend to in that house. He was successful, and he carried off a million."
"I know nothing about that!" cried Sanselme, eagerly. And then with a gesture of loathing, he added, "I never saw any of the money."