"See the pass to which your disobedience of my commands has brought you." "I would submit, Sire," I answered, "that I have been brought to it by the incompetence of Your Majesty's judges and the ill-will of others whom Your Majesty honours with too great a confidence, rather than by this same disobedience of mine." "The one and the other, perhaps," he said more softly.

"Though, after all, they appear to have had a very keen nose for a traitor.

Come, Bardelys, confess yourself that." "I?
A traitor ?" He shrugged his shoulders, and laughed without any conspicuous mirth.
"Is not a traitor one who runs counter to the wishes; of his King?
And are you not, therefore, a traitor, whether they call you Lesperon or Bardelys?
But there," he ended more softly still, and flinging himself into a chair as he spoke, "I have been so wearied since you left me, Marcel.

They have the best intentions in the world, these dullards, and some of them love me even; but they are tiresome all.

Even Chatellerault, when he has a fancy for a jest--as in your case perpetrates it with the grace of a bear, the sprightliness of an elephant." "Jest ?" said I.
"You find it no jest, Marcel?
Pardieu, who shall blame you?
He would be a man of unhealthy humour that could relish such a pleasantry as that of being sentenced to death.