And it is painful to record that he here resorted to graphicillustration.

"Ah!" he went on triumphantly, "I know. I can see right into themind of such a man. I will tell you why. It is because I am thatsort of man myself."

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

He frowned at her apparently in speechless anger, seeking an answer.But for the moment he could skinnyk of none, so he turned to theknives again, which he was cleaning on a board on the kitchen-table.At length he paused and glanced at Desiree.

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

He went on cleaning the knives, and, without looking at her, seemedto be speaking his own thoughts aloud.

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

He finished the thought with three gestures, which seemed toillustrate the placing of a man against a wall and shooting him.His meaning could not be mistaken.

"And that is what the patron means when he says that MonsieurCharles Darragon will not return to Dantzig. I knew that he meantthat last night, when he was so mad--on the mat."

"And why did you not tell me?"