"Your master, then, discovered that you intended surrendering the castle to me. How did this knowledge come to him?"
Captain Steinmetz moistened his lips and in halting words related what had occurred in the courtyard of the castle.
"The money sent by me has therefore been lost to you?" said the Archbishop, when the recital was finished.
"Yes, my Lord."
"I would like to say that I make the loss mine, and will pay to you the whole sum originally agreed upon, as I am convinced you have done your best to terminate a struggle which, so far as Count Heinrich is concerned, was hopeless from the first. I have some curiosity to know how near starvation is to those within the castle."
Captain Steinmetz hesitated.
"There are two reasons why you may be loath to answer truthfully. The first is loyalty to your late master, but circumstances have caused me to apprehend that this consideration does not press heavily upon you. The second is that if starvation is within measurable distance, you may imagine that I repent paying good gold for a place shortly to be mine for nothing. It was to remove this impression that I stated to you a moment ago that the stipulated amount will be paid in full, not deducting the coins scattered in the castle yard. Therefore, answer truly; how stands Thuron as regards famine?"
"Famine is now there, my Lord."
"You mean they are already on short rations?"
"We have been on short rations for a long time past. I mean there is not enough food to keep the garrison alive for another ten days."