Bournef brought his hands together and crossed them, which had the result of knotting the cord round Essarès’ neck. Then he pulled slightly, so as to make the pressure felt, and asked, unemotionally:
“Yes or no?”
“Yes.”
There was a murmur of satisfaction. The accomplices heaved a breath; and Bournef nodded his head with an air of approval:
“Ah, so you accept! It was high time: I doubt if any one was ever nearer death than you were, Essarès.” Retaining his hold of the cord, he continued, “Very well. You will speak. But I know you; and your answer surprises me, for I told the colonel that not even the certainty of death would make you confess your secret. Am I wrong?”
“No,” replied Essarès. “Neither death nor torture.”
“Then you have something different to propose?”
“Yes.”
“Something worth our while?”
“Yes. I suggested it to the colonel just now, when you were out of the room. But, though he was willing to betray you and go halves with me in the secret, he refused the other thing.”