And, urged farther by her expression of disbelief, he told the astonished girl the story which Blondel had told him.

The fact that he believed it went far with her; why, for the rest, doubt a story so extraordinary that it seemed to bear the stamp of truth?
"And that is all ?" she said when he came to the end.
"Is it not enough ?" "It may be enough," she replied, her resolute manner in strange contrast with his cowardly haste.

"Only there is a thing not clear.

If the Syndic knows what is in the letters, why does he not seize them and Basterga with them--the traitor with the proof of his treason ?" "Because he is afraid of the Grand Duke," Louis cried.

"If he seize Basterga and miss the proof of his treason, what then ?" "Then he is not sure that the letters are there ?" Anne replied keenly.
"He is not sure that they would be there when he came to seize them," Louis answered.