"Confront the prisoner," ordered the high personage briefly.
"I am here," replied one of my captors, whom I now recognized as the same individual to whom I had sold lace two days before.
"What is your charge?"
"This man is suspected of being connected with a secret society the principles of which are inimical to the Empire."
"Have you any proofs?"
"I saw him receive a secret communication to-night: it is here." With this he raised my hand.
"Stand forward."
I moved toward the light, while the officer unclosed my fingers, to which I offered no resistance. There lay the packet enclosed with its many cords.
"What does it contain?" asked the great man.
"I have not ventured to touch it," answered he at my right obsequiously.