"I will." Whether it was to be a truthful statement or not concerned the minister but little if he could make use of it. Upon this, the consul-general and a secretary, Le Blanc, being called in, to their amazement Carteaux dictated a plain statement and signed it with his left hand, the two officials acting as witnesses.
The minister read it aloud:
Oeller's Hotel, July 4, 1795.
I, George Carteaux, being in extremis, declare that on the 29th of November, about 5 P.M., near Bristol, I was set upon and shot and a despatch taken from me by one Schmidt and a Frenchman by name De Courval. No valuables were taken. By whom they were set on or paid I do not know.
George Carteaux.
Witnesses:
Louis Le Blanc,
Jean de la Forêt.
The two members of the legation silently followed the minister out of the room.
"That is a belated story," said De la Forêt. "Do you credit it?"
"It is not all, you may be sure; a rather lean tale," replied Le Blanc, whose career in the police of Paris had taught him to distrust men. "He lied both times, but this time it is a serviceable lie."
"A little late, as you say," remarked Fauchet. "Once it might have helped us."