"I thank you," answered Max, quietly, "but it appears to me that I shall prefer standing until I can gather the drift of M. Saint-Martin's strange remarks. We will come to the point at once if you please. Am I to understand that you accuse me of having taken no steps towards informing you of M. Moreau's death and bequest? You are silent, monsieur. I conclude, then, that such is your accusation. Permit me to remark, in reply, that the two only direct means of communication in my power--advertisements and the assistance of the police--were so rigidly forbidden by M. Moreau, that their employment would have deprived you of any benefit whatever under the will, beyond a legacy of 40,000 francs. It was an apparently unaccountable condition--that is to say, it appeared unaccountable to me at the time--but I am under the impression that I mentioned it to M. le Cure at my first interview? At all events it matters little. The will itself can be placed in M. Saint-Martin's hands to-morrow." He paused. There was an uncomfortable silence. Then the cure said coldly,-- "Certainly; I am aware that you mentioned an extraordinary provision to that effect." "But," broke in Fabien with a sneer, "I presume the provisions were scarcely extended to the point of obliging M. Deshoulieres to ignore any indirect information that might be supplied to him on the subject, or of declining to be enlightened by letters from myself? Possibly I am mistaken. A will that could do so much may have had the power of enforcing blindness and deafness upon its executor." Max, stern, quiet, and self-possessed, answered at once,-- "M. Saint-Martin, I demand an explanation, of words which are to me wholly unintelligible." "M. Deshoulieres, I demand, on my part, firstly, an explanation of your non-appearance at the Lion d'Or at Pont-huine?" "So? that is easily given, monsieur. The sudden illness of one of my patients prevented it. In my stead I sent the notary who drew up Monsieur Moreau's will, and was equally with myself acquainted with its particulars. M. Roulleau spent the afternoon at Pont-huine. As no person appeared, he returned to Charville with the belief that we had been made the victims of a jest." M. Fabien laughed. "This, I think, you can disprove," he said, turning to the cure.