"Quite right—at the time, Bellenger."
—"drawing the annuity intended for the dauphin. I inquired into his rights. The agent showed me papers like my own. I asked who presented them. He knew no more of the man than he did of me. I demanded to face the man. No such person could be found. I demanded to see the idiot. He was shut in a room and fed by a hired keeper. I sat down and thought much. Clearly it was not the agent's affair. He followed instructions. Good! I would follow instructions also. Months would have been required to ask and receive explanations from the court of Monsieur. He had assumed the title of Louis XVIII, for the good of the royalist cause, as if there were no prince. I thought I saw what was expected of me."
"And what did you see, you unspeakable scoundrel?"
"I saw that there was a dauphin too many, hopelessly idiotic. But if he was the one to be guarded, I would guard him."
"Who was that idiot?"
"Some unknown pauper. No doubt of that."
"And what did you do with me?"
"A chief of the Iroquois Indians can tell you that."
"This is a clumsy story, Bellenger. Try again."
"Sire—"