rsts of cynical openness. "I
did hurry on the formation of the proscribing commission and took its
presidency. And do you know why? Simply from fear that if I did not
take it quickly into my hands my own name would head the list of the
proscribed. Such are the times in which we live. But I am minister of
the king as yet, and I ask you plainly why I should take the name of
this obscure Feraud off the list? You wonder how his name got there. Is
it possible that you know men so little? My dear general, at the very
first sitting of the commission names poured on us like rain off the
tiles of the Tuileries. Names! We had our choice of thousands. How do
you know that the name of this Feraud, whose life or death don't matter
to France, does not keep out some other name?..."

The voice out of the armchair stopped. General D'Hubert sat still,
shadowy, and silent. Only his sabre clinked slightly. The voice in the
armchair began again. "And we must try to satisfy the exigencies of the
allied sovereigns. The Prince de Talleyrand told me only yesterday that
Nesselrode had informed him officially that his Majesty, the Emperor
Alexander, was very disappointed at the small number of examples the
government of the king intends to make--especially amongst military men.
I tell you this confidentially."

"Upon my word," broke out General D'Hubert, speaking through his teeth,
"if your Excellency deigns to favour me with any more confidential
information I don't know what I will do. It's enough to make one break
one's sword over one's knee and fling the pieces..."

"What government do you imagine yourself to be serving?" interrupted the
minister sharply. After a short pause the crestfallen voice of General
D'Hubert answered:

"The government of France."

"That's paying your conscience off with mere words, general. The truth
is that you are serving a government of returned exiles, of men who have
been without country for twenty years. Of men also who have just got
over a very bad and humiliating fright.... Have no illusions on that
score."

The Duke of Otranto ceased. He had relieved himself, and had attained
his object of stripping some self-respect off that man who had
inconveniently discovered him posturing in a gold-embroidered court
costume before a mirror. But they were a hot-headed lot in the army,
and it occurred to him that it would be inconvenient if a well-disposed
general officer, received by him on the recommendation of on