“Everywhere,” said the other. “To begin: the secret information of the outbreak between Lord Whitworth and the Consul; the frequent meetings with the Marquis de Beauvais; the false report to the Chef de Police; the concealment of this abbe--By the bye, I am not quite clear about that part of the case; why have not the prosecution brought this Abbé, forward? It is plain they have his evidence, and can produce him if they will; and I see no other name in the act of accusation than our old acquaintance, Mehée de la Touche--” “The villain!” cried the general, with a stamp of indignation, while a convulsive spasm seemed to shake every fibre of his frame. “Mehée de la Touche!” said I to myself; “I have heard that name before.” And like a lightning flash it crossed my mind that such was the name of the man Marie de Meudon charged me with knowing. “But still,” said the general, “what can they make of all these? That of indiscretion, folly, breach of discipline, if you will; but--” “Wait a little,” said the other, quietly. “Then comes the night of the château, in which he is found among the _Chouan_ party in their very den, taking part in the defence.” “No, no! Lamoriciére, who commanded the cuirassiers, can establish the fact beyond question, that Burke took no part in the affray, and delivered his sword at once when called on.” “At least they found him there, and on his person the brevet of colonel, signed by Monsieur himself.” “Of that I can give no explanation,” replied the general; “but I am in possession of such information as can account for his presence at the château, and establish his innocence on that point.” “Indeed!” cried the advocate, for such he was; “with that much may be done.” “Unhappily, however,” rejoined the general, “if such a disclosure is not necessary to save his life, I cannot venture to give it; the ruin of another must follow the explanation.” “Without it he is lost,” said the advocate, solemnly. “And would not accept of life with it,” said I, boldly, as I started up in my bed, and looked fixedly at them. The general sprang back, astonished and speechless; but the advocate, with more command over his emotions, cast his eyes upon the paper before him, and quickly asked,-- “And the commission; how do you account for that?” “It was offered to and refused by me. He who made the proposal forgot it on my table, and I was about to restore it when I was made prisoner.” “What condition was attached to your acceptance of it?” “Some vague, indistinct proposals were made to me to join a conspiracy of which I was neither told the object nor intentions. Indeed, I stopped any disclosure by rejecting the bribe.” “Who made these same proposals?” “I shall not tell his name.”