ite doctrine; eh?"

"Precisely."

The old surgeon smiled, and said,--

"I had my reasons. The more I am persuaded that this man is an
assassin, the less I am disposed to proclaim it on the housetops. He has
accomplices, you think, do you?"

"Certainly."

"Well, if we wish to reach them, we must by all means reassure them,
leave them under the impression that everybody thinks it was an
accident. If they are frightened, good-night. They will vanish before
you can put out your hand to seize them."

"Champcey might be questioned; perhaps he could furnish some
information."

But the doctor rose, and stopped him with an air of fury,--

"Question my patient! Kill him, you mean! No! If I am to have the
wonderful good luck to pull him through, no one shall come near his bed
for a month. And, moreover, it will be very fortunate indeed if in a
month he is sufficiently recovered to keep up a conversation."

He shook his head, and went on, after a moment's silence,--

"Besides, it is a question whether Champcey would be disposed to say
what he knows, or what he suspects. That is very doubtful. Twice he has
been almost killed. Has he ever said a word about it? He probably has
the same reasons for keeping silence now that he had then."

Then, without noticing the officer's objections, he added,--

"At all events, I will think it over, and go and see the judges as
soon as they are out of bed. But I must ask you, lieutenant, to keep my
secret till further order. Will you promise?"

"On my word, doctor."

"Then you may rest assured our poor friend shall be avenged. And now, as
I have barely two hours to rest, please excuse me."

XXIV.

As soon as he was alone, the doctor threw himself on his bed; but he
could not sleep. He had never in his life been so much puzzled. He
felt as if this crime was the result of some terrible but mysterious
intrigue; and the very fact of having, as he fancied, raised a corner of
the veil, made him burn with the desire to draw it aside altogether.

"Why," he said to himself, "why might not the scamp whom we hold be the
author of the other two attempts likewise? There is nothing improbable
in that supposition. The man, once engaged, might easily have been put
on board 'The Conquest;' and he might have left France saying to himself
that it would be odd indeed, if during a long voyage, or in a land like
this, he did not find a chance to earn his money without running much
risk."

Th