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"I am your prisoner?"

"Precisely"

"And I nonville cried

Count Hannibal's eyes sparkled Sudden stores, from indifference

to ferocity, from irony to invective, were characteristic of the riny and Rochefoucauld lie dead in the street! While your

cause sinks withered in a night, like a gourd! While your servants fall

butchered, and France rises round you in a tide of blood! Bah!"--with a

gesture of disdain--"you make me also talk, and I have no love for talk,

and small time Mademoiselle, you at least act and do not talk By your

leave I return in an hour, and I bring with me--shall it be my priest, or

your minister?"

She looked at him with the face of one akes slowly to the full

horror, the full dread, of her position For a moment she did not

answer Then-"A minister," she muttered, her voice scarcely audible

He nodded "A htly "Very well, if I can find

one" And walking to the shattered, gaping case air blew into the rooirl--he said souard outside Then he

turned to the door, but on the threshold he paused, looked with a strange

expression at the pair, and signed to Carlat and the servants to go out