and it would be
difficult for me to explain your reception. You must, in the first
place, attire yourself in clothes such as are worn by the mate of a
privateer. I suppose you have papers, or you would not have been
permitted to land."

Leigh took out the passes and handed them to him. Monsieur Flambard
glanced through them.

"You must have managed well to have got hold of these passes, and
they certainly put the matter on safer ground. However, I should
find some difficulty in explaining how I came to show hospitality
to two persons who, by a strangely roundabout course, had made
their way from Arthenay. It is a little unfortunate that your
sister kept her own name. Had it been otherwise, I might have said
that her husband was captain of one of my ships. But he is
unfortunately not unknown here. After Martin's flight from Nantes,
a claim was made by the committee of public safety at Nantes for
the Henriette. Fortunately your brother-in-law had dated his bill
of sale to me a fortnight before he left. The trial took place here
and, as in those days law and justice still prevailed in the civic
courts, the decision was given in my favour.

"It was urged on the other side that the transaction was invalid,
as Martin must have parted with his vessel knowing well that he was
a traitor to the Republic, and that his property would be
confiscated. However, we got the best of them. There was no proof
whatever that Martin was conscious that he was suspected of being
disaffected, and we claimed that he had only sold it as, having
married, he had decided to give up the sea and to settle upon his
estates in La Vendee. Of course, at that time La Vendee had not
risen, and it was not a crime worthy of death to own an estate
there. Still, the case attracted attention, and the fact that my
guest was a Madame Martin might recall the circumstances, and at
once awake a suspicion that she was the wife of one of those who
had led the insurgents of La Vendee; in which case her life and
yours would be certainly forfeited, and my receiving you would be
regarded as amply sufficient evidence of my connection with the
insurgents.

"Now, for our sakes, as well as yours, I think that it would be
strongly advisable that you should take up your abode elsewhere.
Believe me that it is no want of hospitality, but a measure of
precaution, both for your sake and ours. Tomorrow morning I should
have to send in a statement that two guests have arrived h