never one meddles with political affairs it must be so."

"Political affairs!" cried Claude. "What have I to do with political
affairs?"

The captain again smiled blandly.

"_Parbleu_, monsieur, but that is not for me to say."

"But is that the charge against me?"

"Most certainly. How could it be otherwise?"

"Politics, politics!" cried Claude. "I don't understand you! I must
be taken for some other person."

"O, no," said the captain; "there's no mistake."

"Pardon me, monsieur, there must be."

"Then, monsieur, allow me to indulge the hope that you may be able to
show where the mistake is, at your trial."

The captain made a movement now as though he was about to leave; but
Claude detained him.

"One moment, monsieur," said he. "Will you not tell me something
more? Will you not tell me what these political charges are? For, I
swear to you, I cannot imagine. How can I, who have lived all my life
in Boston, be connected with politics in any way? Let me know, then,
something about these charges; for nothing is more distressing than
to be in a situation like this, and have no idea whatever of the
cause of it."

[Illustration: "Of Your Honor I Have No Doubt."]

"_Eh bien_, monsieur," said the captain, "since you wish it, I have
no objection whatever to state what they are; and if you can clear
yourself and show your innocence, I shall be the first to
congratulate you. His excellency will not object to my telling you, I
am sure, for he is the soul of goodness, and is full of generous
impulses. Very well, then. In the first place you call yourself
Claude Motier. Now, this is said to be an assumed name. Your real
name is said to be Claude de Montresor; and it is said that you are
the son of a certain Eugene de Moutresor, who committed grave
offences about twenty years ago, for which he would have been
severely punished had he not fled from the country. His wife,
also,--your mother, perhaps,--was proscribed, and would have been
arrested and punished had she not escaped with her husband. They were
then outlawed, and their estates were confiscated. The wife died, the
husband disappeared. This is what happened to them."

"That is all true," said Claude. "But my father and mother were both
most foully wronged--"

"Pardon, monsieur," said the captain. "That is very probable; but I
am not here as judge; I am only giving you information about the
charge against you. I have not time to listen to your answer; a