He was desperately fatigued, for he was still very weak, and he feared lest his imprudence in going out so soon might bring on a relapse from his convalescence.

Nevertheless, before he went to bed he dismissed Temistocle, and opened a shabby-looking black box which stood upon his writing-table.

It was bound with iron, and was fastened by a patent lock which had frequently defied Temistocle's ingenuity.

Prom this repository he took a great number of papers, which were all neatly filed away and marked in the owner's small and ornamented handwriting.

Beneath many packages of letters he found what he sought for, a long envelope containing several folded documents.
He spread out the papers and read them carefully over.
"It is a very singular thing," he said to himself; "but there can be no doubt about it.