“I did; the Uhlans made me prisoner as I reported to you.” 145
“I mean, why did you not arrest her after you left Morsbronn?”
“That would have prevented Buckhurst from going to Paradise.”
“Your orders were to arrest the Countess?”
“Yes.”
“Did you obey those orders?”
“No,” I said, between my teeth.
“Why?”
“I had every reason to believe that an important conspiracy was being ripened somewhere near Paradise. I had every reason to believe that the robbery of the crown jewels might furnish funds for the plotters.
“The arrest of one man could not break up the conspiracy; I desired to trap the leaders; and to that end I deliberately liberated this man Buckhurst as a stool-pigeon. If my judgment has been at fault, I accept the blame.”