And now," continued he, "this brings us back to the first question.

What do you think of Paul Violaine ?" Hortebise walked up and down the room two or three times, and finally stopped opposite to his friend.

"I think," said he, "that the lad has many of the qualities we want, and we might find it hard to discover one better suited for our purpose.

Besides, he is a bastard, knows nothing of his father, and therefore leaves a wide field for conjecture; for every natural son has the right to consider himself, if he likes, the offspring of a monarch.

He has no family or any one to look after him, which assures us that whatever may happen, there is no one to call us to account.