"Mr.Darrell's wine was out, and I sent him some bottles of wine by his servant." "You knew for what he needed it ?" I had forgotten for the moment what Robert said, and hesitated in my answer.

M.de Perrencourt looked intently at me.
"I think," said I, "that Robert told me Mr Darrell expected the King to sup with him." "He told you that ?" he asked sharply.
"Yes, I remember that," said I, now thoroughly bewildered by the history and the catechism which seemed necessary to an act so simple as drinking a glass of my own wine.
M.de Perrencourt said nothing more, but his eyes were still set on my face with a puzzled searching expression.

His glance confused me, and I looked round the table.

Often at such moments the merest trifles catch our attention, and now for the first time I observed that a little of the wine had been spilt on the polished oak of the table; where it had fallen the bright surface seemed rusted to dull brown.

I noticed the change, and wondered for an idle second how it came that wine turned a polished table dull.