'He denies that he was there?' my lady said. 'But was he not arrested in the house?'
'Yes,' the Chief Magistrate answered dryly, 'he was.' And he looked at us in silence.
'But--what does he say?' my lady asked faintly.
'He affects to be ignorant of everything that has occurred in connection with the house. He pretends that he does not know how he comes to be in custody, that he does not know many things that have lately occurred. For instance, three days ago,' the Burgomaster continued with a chill smile,' I had the honour of meeting him at the King of Sweden's quarters and talking with him. He says to-day that I am a stranger to him, that we did not meet, that we did not talk, and that he does not know where the King of Sweden's quarters are.'
'Then,' my lady said sorrowfully, 'he is worse than he was. He is now quite mad.'
'I am afraid not,' the magistrate replied, shaking his head gravely. 'He is sane enough on other points. Only he will answer no questions that relate to this conspiracy, or to his guilt.'
'He is not guilty,' the Countess cried impetuously. 'Believe me, however strangely he talks, he is incapable of such treachery!'
'Your excellency forgets--that he was in this house!'
'But with no evil intentions!'
'Yet denies that he was there!' the Burgomaster concluded gravely.