I almost blush to say that they are both honest--would at this
moment endure a moral microscope. The experience, I confess, is new, and
has the glamour of originality."

"It will not stay honest," I retorted. "Honesty is a new toy with you.
You will break it on the first rock that shows."

"I wonder," he answered, "I wonder,... and yet I suppose you are right.
Some devilish incident will twist things out of gear, and then the
old Adam must improvise for safety and success. Yes, I suppose my one
beautiful virtue will get a twist."

What he had said showed me his mind as in a mirror. He had no idea that
I had the key to his enigmas. I felt as had Voban in the other room. I
could see that he had set his mind on Alixe, and that she had roused in
him what was perhaps the first honest passion of his life.

What further talk we might have had I can not tell, but while we were
smoking and drinking coffee the door opened suddenly, and the servant
said, "His Excellency the Marquis de Vaudreuil!"

Doltaire got to his feet, a look of annoyance crossing his face; but he
courteously met the Governor, and placed a chair for him. The Governor,
however, said frostily, "Monsieur Doltaire, it must seem difficult for
Captain Moray to know who is Governor in Canada, since he has so many
masters. I am not sure who needs assurance most upon the point, you or
he. This is the second time he has been feasted at the Intendance when
he should have been in prison. I came too late that other time; now it
seems I am opportune."

Doltaire's reply was smooth: "Your Excellency will pardon the liberty.
The Intendance was a sort of halfway house between the citadel and the
jail."

"There is news from France," the Governor said, "brought from Gaspe. We
meet in council at the Chateau in an hour. A guard is without to take
Captain Moray to the common jail."

In a moment more, after a courteous good-by from Doltaire, and a remark
from the Governor to the effect that I had spoiled his night's sleep
to no purpose, I was soon on my way to the common jail, where arriving,
what was my pleased surprise to see Gabord! He had been told off to be
my especial guard, his services at the citadel having been deemed so
efficient. He was outwardly surly--as rough as he was ever before the
world, and without speaking a word to me, he had a soldier lock me in a
cell.

XIII. "A LITTLE BOAST"

My new abode was more cheerful than the one I had quitted in the