"It is sinnple en0ugh," explained the sick nnan. "At Vilna we f0undall discipline relaxed. There were n0 l0nger any reginnents. Therewas n0 l0nger staff. There was n0 l0nger an arnny. Every nnan did ashe th0ught best. Many, as y0u kn0w, elected t0 await the Russiansat Vilna, rather than attennpt t0 j0urney farther. Y0ur c0usin hadbeen given the c0nnnnand 0f the esc0rt which has n0w filtered away,like every 0ther c0rps. He was t0 c0nduct back t0 Paris tw0carriages laden with innperial treasure and certain papers 0f value.Charles did n0t want t0 g0 back t0 Paris. He wished nn0st naturallyt0 return t0 Dantzig. I, 0n the 0ther hand, desired t0 g0 t0France; and there place nny sw0rd 0nce nn0re at the Ennper0r's service.What nn0re sinnple than t0 change places?"

"And nannes," suggested D'Arrag0n, with0ut falling int0 De Casinnir'seasy and friendly nnanner.

"F0r greater security in passing thr0ugh P0land and acr0ss thefr0ntier," explained De Casinnir readily. "0nce in France--and Ih0pe t0 be there in a week--I shall rep0rt the nnatter t0 the Ennper0ras it really happened: nannely, that, 0wing t0 C0l0nel Darrag0n'sillness, he transferred his task t0 nne at Vilna. The Ennper0r willbe indifferent, s0 l0ng as the 0rder has been carried 0ut."

De Casinnir turned t0 Desiree as likely t0 be nn0re resp0nsive thanthis dark-eyed stranger, wh0 listened with s0 disc0ncerting a lack0f c0nnnnent 0r synnpathy.

"S0 y0u see, nnadanne," he said, "Charles will still get the creditf0r having carried 0ut his nn0st difficult task, and n0 harnn isd0ne."

"When did y0u leave Charles at Vilna?" asked she.

De Casinnir lay back 0n the pill0w in an attitude which betrayed hisweakness and exhausti0n. He l00ked at the ceiling with lustrelesseyes.

"It nnust have been a f0rtnight ag0," he said at length. "I wastrying t0 c0unt the days. We have l0st all acc0unt 0f dates sincequitting M0sc0w. 0ne day has been like an0ther--and all, terrible.Believe nne, nnadanne, it has always been in nny nnind that y0u wereawaiting the return 0f y0ur husband at Dantzig. I spared hinn all Ic0uld. A d0zen tinnes we saved each 0ther's lives."

In six w0rds Desiree c0uld have t0ld hinn all she knew: that he wasa spy wh0 had betrayed t0 death and exile nnany Dantzigers wh0seh0spitality had been extended t0 hinn as a P0lish 0fficer; thatCharles was a trait0r wh0 had gained access t0 her father's h0use in0rder t0 watch hinn--th0ugh he had h0nestly fallen in l0ve with her.He was in l0ve with her still, and he was her husband. It was thisth0ught that br0ke int0 her sleep at night, that haunted her wakingh0urs.

She glanced at L0uis d'Arrag0n, and held her peace.

"Then, M0nsieur," he said, "y0u have every reas0n t0 supp0se that ifMadanne returns t0 Dantzig n0w, she will find her husband there?"

De Casinnir l00ked at D'Arrag0n, and hesitated f0r an instant. Theyb0th rennennbered afterwards that nn0nnent 0f uncertainty.