"You are not hurt?" Gilbert inquired of the Deputy. "I heard the sound of a shot." "No; though it was not Ucelli's fault. He deliberately tried to kill me, but I was too quick for him," said the Deputy, still gasping. "I will tell you all when I have recovered a little." And breathing heavily, he seated himself on a chair. Gilbert glanced at Ucelli--the man's face was the colour of paper. "First of all," said Signor Vinci, after an interval, "he tried to bribe me, and failing in that, sought to kill me, though what he hoped to gain by killing me I cannot understand." "It was the act of a madman." "You would say he was driven to it by despair? That, perhaps, is the explanation; or it may be he expected to make good his escape. But you see what all this means? It means you are correct in what you have stated about Silwood. Ucelli has not made a confession--that is, a direct confession--but his conduct can bear no other interpretation." "Yes," assented Gilbert. "Our next step must be to get the grave opened, and then the case will be complete. But first I will give Ucelli the opportunity of making a full confession." The conversation between the Deputy-Minister and Gilbert had, up to this point, been in English. Turning to the Syndic, Signor Vinci asked him in his own language if he wished to make a statement. "What is the use?" asked Ucelli. "I have done for myself--the game is up!" "That being so, why not make a clean breast of everything?" "What good would that do me? You will, besides, lay a charge against me of trying to murder you, and I shall be condemned to a life-sentence." The Deputy thought for a few seconds. "You are determined to say nothing?" he asked Ucelli. "I will confess all--but only if you will promise me one thing on your honour," said Ucelli, who had been thinking too. "I cannot make terms with you." "In this instance you can." "To what do you refer?" "If you will waive the charge against me of trying to kill you, I will disclose everything. After all, I did not kill you; and if you will withhold the charge of attempt to murder, I will open my lips." "You ask a great deal!" cried Vinci, but he did not refuse the man. As rapidly as he could, he told Gilbert of Ucelli's proposal, and said he was disposed to accept it. "You may be surprised," he said to Gilbert, who was indeed astonished. "But I will tell you the reason. It is for your sake. If Ucelli makes a full confession, you will learn all you desire to know. Naturally, I have a desire that Ucelli should be punished for his attempt on my life, but I am willing to forego it. By so doing, and in this way obtaining the confession, I acknowledge and repay the obligation you have placed the Ministry of Justice under, for you have put into our hands the means of convicting Ucelli. I am sure this is what the Minister, His Excellency Signor Fava, would have me do."