Roy started.
“Hist!”—again. “Does monsieur know me? But not a word—hist!”
Roy drew one quick breath. Then he picked up more pieces of wood, tossing them into the hotte. He cast another glance at the man, his whole being on the alert. In an instant he saw again the small French town, the crowd in front of the hôtel de ville, the released conscript, the old mother clinging to Denham’s hands, and Denham’s compassionate face. All was clear.
“Jean Paulet,” he breathed.
“Hist!”—softly.
“But—you are he?”
“Oui, M’sieu.”
Jean piled some of the wood together, with unnecessary fuss and noise.
“Will M’sieu not betray that he has seen me before? It is important.”
“Oui.”