“Oh, nothing—nothing at all. No doubt I was frightened.”
“Frightened!—and at what? By whom? For God's sake, my dear friend, do not prolong this painful state of uncertainty.”
“Do you really wish me to speak out?”
“Not only so, but I demand this of you as an act of friendship.”
“Well, I was stopped to-night at about the distance of half a league from your château.”
“Stopped! In what way? By whom?”
“Why, stopped as people are stopped by footpads. A gun was leveled at me; I was peremptorily ordered to deliver up my purse; I threw it down on the ground, and galloped off. Do not ask me any more questions.”
“Why not? I wish to know all. Should you know the robber again? Did you notice his figure and general appearance?”
“It being dark, I could not exactly discover: I can not positively say. However, it seems to me—”
“What seems to you? What or whom do you think you saw?”