"Sûrement! Sûrement, monsieur!" said the old Michel politely, but his hypnotised gaze did not stir so much as a hair's-breadth.
"Ça va sans le dire."
"A man of honour," repeated Ste. Marie. "When I give my word I keep it. Voila! I keep it."
"And," said he, "I have here forty francs. Two louis. A large sum. It is yours, my brave Michel, for the mere trouble of turning your back just thirty seconds."
"Monsieur," whispered the old man, "it is impossible. He would kill me—by torture."
"He will never know," said Ste. Marie, "for I do not mean to try to escape. I give you my word of honour that I shall not try to escape. Besides, I could not climb over that wall, as you see.
"Two louis, Michel! Forty francs!"
The old man's hands twisted and trembled round the barrel of the carbine, and he swallowed once with some difficulty. He seemed to hesitate but in the end he shook his head. It was as if he shook it in grief over the grave of his firstborn.
"It is impossible," he said again. "Impossible." He tore the bead-like eye away from those two beautiful glowing golden things, and Ste. Marie saw that there was nothing to be done with him just now. He slipped the money back into his pocket with a little sigh, and turned away towards the rose gardens.
"Ah well," said he. "Another time perhaps. Another time. And there are more louis still, mon vieux. Perhaps three or four. Who knows?" Michel emitted a groan of extreme anguish, and they moved on.