"Curse you," Blondel cried, contrary to his custom, for he was no swearer, "you will kill me, if you do not speak."
"But——"
"What has happened. What has happened, man!"
"I was going to tell you, honoured sir, that I watched her——"
"Anne? The girl?"
"Yes, and an hour before midnight she took that which you wished me to get—the bottle. She went to Basterga's room, and——"
"Took it! Well? Well?" The Syndic's face, grey a moment before, was dangerously suffused with blood. The cane that had inflicted the bruise Louis still wore across his visage, quivered ominously. Public as the bridge was, open to obloquy and remark as an assault must lay him, Blondel was within an inch of striking the lad again. "Well? Well?" he repeated. "Is that all you have to tell me?"
"Would it were!" Louis replied, raising his open hands with sanctimonious fervour. "Alas, sir!"
"You watched her?"
"I watched her back to her room."