"It is a fair bargain, as it now stands, but I see no way of your carrying out your part without putting me in danger of your betraying me. To find La Tournoire, you would have to leave us. Once out of our sight, you would be free to ignore the contract, laugh at me for being so easily gulled, and set La Tournoire and his men on me, which would entirely spoil my plans. Every minute I see more and more the necessity of killing you."
"But I shall find La Tournoire without going out of your sight," I said.
De Berquin again became thoughtful. Then he laughed.
"You mean that you would lead us up to his very den, where we should be at the mercy of his men," he said.
"I have already said that, with one exception, none of his men shall be within a league of where you are to meet him."
"I do not see how you are going to bring him so far from his men, if you do not go for him."
"Leave that to me. I shall take you to a place where he will present himself unarmed. Excepting the man who will be with him, not one of his company shall be within a league."
"Where is the place?" asked De Berquin, still smiling ironically.
"Not far from here. It is a place where you can get also wine and food."
"And how am I to know that this place is not a trap into which you wish to lead me?"