"Well, what would you, Master Pycroft?" said I, for I saw that he had sense on his side. If a bargain was to be made it could not be all on one side. My work was to learn all I could from him, without placing my future in his power. "I would know this. First, your name and history. Second, the reason which led you to come hither. And third--nay, that is all. Answer me those fully, and you will have answered all I wish to know." "And if I do?" I responded. "What shall I gain?" "That for which you have come," he replied eagerly. "How do I know? Suppose I tell you what you ask, and you have sucked the orange dry--what then? Can I be sure you will tell me what I want to know? The confidence must be mutual, Master Pycroft." "You have called me by name. Therefore what is there to tell you further?" "How do I know that you are Master Pycroft? How do I know that you are not some other man, one perhaps a thousand times more dangerous?" A ghastly pallor came over his face as I spoke. For the first time I had made him fear me. Rightly or wrongly, it came to me that he was not Elijah Pycroft at all, but a man who greatly feared his name becoming known. "If I am to tell you who I am, tell me who you are," I replied. "If I am to tell you how I was led to believe that you have in your possession the king's marriage contract, you must tell me how you got hold of it. If I am to tell you how I learnt to know anything about the woman you call Constance, you must tell me what you know of her, ay, and the reason why the man believed to be Sir Charles Denman hath such power over her." "And if I will not?" "Then several courses are open to me. You have told me I have some wit. Well, I can use that wit. I can find out who the man is who comes to this room during the night, while during the day he is not to be found here." "Who's to tell you?" "Perhaps Father Rousseau, who hath a little church at Boulogne," I made answer. Again the ashy pallor passed across his face, and I saw him tremble. "He--he doth not know a word of English--that is--how do you know there is such a man?" I know he would have given much not to have spoken these words, but they had escaped him while under the influence of the words I had spoken. "Enough to say that I do know," I replied, "and moreover, I am not the only Englishman who can speak the French tongue." He saw he had taken the wrong road, and he sought to retrace his steps. "Let us understand each other," he repeated. "Methinks we are understanding each other with great haste," I replied. "Mark you, I wish to use no harsh methods, otherwise I could easily make many things known to King Charles when he lands at Dover." "And yet you speak angrily," he cried. "I am an old man, and cannot bear to have an enmity towards any man. I would live peaceably. Besides, my heart goes out to you. Let us act as friends. But I cannot tell you what you want to know without knowing who you are."