“Bernier! What has happened?” “Oh, nothing very serious, M. Sainclair, I am glad to say.” (But his voice was too palpably endeavoring to sound strong and brave for me to feel as reassured as he was trying to make me!) “An accident without any importance whatever. M. Darzac, while placing his revolver on the stand beside his bed, accidentally fired it off. Madame, naturally, was frightened, and screamed; and, as the window of their room was open, she thought that you and M. Rouletabille might have heard something and started out to tell you that it was nothing.” “M. Darzac has come in, then?” “He got here almost as soon as you had left the tower, M. Sainclair. And the shot was fired almost immediately after he entered his bedroom. You can guess that I had a pretty fright! I rushed to the door! M. Darzac opened it, himself. Happily, no one was injured!” “Did Mme. Darzac go to her own room as soon as I left the tower?” “At once. She heard M. Darzac when he came in and followed him directly to their apartments. They went in almost at the same moment.” “And M. Darzac? Is he still in his room?” “Here he is now.” I turned and saw Robert Darzac; despite the gloom of the place, I saw that his face was ghastly pale. He made me a sign and then said very calmly and quietly: “Listen, Sainclair! Bernier told you about our little accident. It is not worth mentioning to anyone, unless someone should speak of it to you. The others, perhaps, have not heard the shot. It would be useless to frighten all these good people; don’t you think so? Now I have a little favor to ask of you.” “Speak, my friend,” I bade him. “Whatever it is, I will do it: you know that without my saying so. Make any use of me that you like.” “Thanks; but it is only to persuade Rouletabille to go to bed; when he is gone, my wife will calm herself and will try to get the rest that she needs. Every one of us has need of rest--and of calmness, Sainclair. We all need repose--and silence.” “Surely, my friend; you may count upon me.” I pressed his hand with a force which attested my sentiments toward him; I was persuaded that both he and Bernier were concealing something from us--something very grave! Darzac reëntered his room and I went to find Rouletabille in the sitting room of Old Bob.