"
"Truly?"
"You have our word of honor," replied both the baron and Pascal in
a breath.
After casting a half-frightened glance around him, the worthy Turk
seemed to gather courage. But no! He deliberated some time, and
then rejoined: "Really, I'm not sufficiently convinced of the
accuracy of my suspicions to incur the risk of accusing a man who
belongs in the very best society; a man who is very rich and very
highly respected, and who would tolerate no imputations upon his
character."
It was plain that he would not speak. The baron shrugged his
shoulders, but Pascal stepped bravely forward. "Then I will tell
you, prince," he said, "the name that you are determined to hide
from us."
"Oh!"
"But you must allow me to remark that the baron and myself retract
the promise we made you just now."
"Naturally."
"Then, your defrauder is the Marquis de Valorsay!"
If Kami-Bey had seen an emissary of his sovereign enter the room
carrying the fatal bow-string he would not have seemed more
terror-stricken. He sprang nervously on to his short, fat legs,
his eyes wildly dilating and his hands fluttering despairingly.
"Don't speak so loud! don't speak so loud!" he exclaimed,
imploringly.
As he did not even attempt to deny it, the truth of the assertion
might be taken for granted. But Pascal was not content with this.
"Now that we know the fact, I hope, Prince, that you will be
sufficiently obliging to tell us how it all happened," he
remarked.
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