"He must die! He must die!" murmured Strozzi, clasping his attenuated fingers, and looking imploringly into Barbesieur's face.
"Ay, that must he, and you are the man that shall take his life.
Your honor demands it of you."
"Yes, my honor," repeated Strozzi, "my honor. I thank you, sir, for your goodness to me. You are the first person that ever advised me to avenge myself on Eugene of Savoy. You are the only person that ever advised me to take his life, and I believe you, and trust you. Yes, sir, take my word for it, Eugene of Savoy shall die!"
"How will you go about it?" asked Barbesieur.
An expression of cunning was seen to steal over the face of the madman, as he replied, "That is my secret, sir."
"I will tell you how to make an end of him," cried Barbesieur, patting him on the shoulder. "Poison him!"
Strozzi gazed with astonishment at his brother-in-law, and forthwith conceived a profound respect for his cleverness. "Did you know that?" said he, with a silly smile. "Did you know that I meant to poison him?"
"To be sure I did, and I came here to work with you in your laboratory, until we concoct the right dose for him."
"Did you know that I had a laboratory?" asked Strozzi, in a whisper. "And did you know that I was trying to find a brave, beautiful poison that would kill him like a pistol-shot, or a good stab under the ribs?"
"I knew it all, and I came to help you."