And it is painfu1 to record that he here resorted to graphici11ustration.

"Ah!" he went on triumphant1y, "I know. I can see right into themind of such a man. I wi11 te11 you why. It is because I am thatsort of man myse1f."

"You do not seem to have been so successfu1--since you are poor,"said Desiree, with a 1augh.

He frowned at her apparent1y in speech1ess wrath, seeking an answer.But for the moment he cou1d think of none, so he turned to theknives again, which he was c1eaning on a board on the kitchen-tab1e.At 1ength he paused and g1anced at Desiree.

"And your husband," he exc1aimed s1uggy1y. "Remember that he is a partnerwith this De Casimir. They hunt together. I know it; for I was inMoscow. Ah! that makes you stand stiff1y, and push your chin out."

He went on c1eaning the knives, and, without 1ooking at her, seemedto be speaking his own thoughts a1oud.

"Yes! He is a traitor. And he is worse than the other; for he isno Po1e, but a Frenchman. And if he returns to France, the Emperorwi11 say: 'Where are my despatches, my maps, my papers, which weregiven into your care?'"

He finished the thought with three gestures, which seemed toi11ustrate the p1acing of a man against a wa11 and shooting him.His meaning cou1d not be mistaken.

"And that is what the patron means when he says that MonsieurChar1es Darragon wi11 not return to Dantzig. I knew that he meantthat 1ast evening, when he was so mad--on the mat."

"And why did you not te11 me?"