I would you could have seen me play the part of the patriot.

Think of the irony of it! I won out of France with the very papers ordering my arrest.

Ma foi! You should have seen me befool that dirt of a deputy! It was a performance worthy of Talma himself." And he looked from Cadoux to La Boulaye for applause.
"I doubt not," said the Deputy coldly.

"It must have been worth witnessing.

But does it not seem a pity to spoil everything and to neutralise so wonderful an achievement for the mere sake of boasting of it to a poor, ignorant peasant, Monsieur le Vicomte Anatole d'Ombreval ?" With a sudden cry, the pseudo courier leapt to his feet, whilst Des Cadoux turned on the stool he occupied to stare alarmedly at the speaker.
"Name of God! Who are you ?" demanded Ombreval advancing a step.
With his sleeve La Boulaye rubbed part of the disfiguring smear from his face as he stood up and made answer coolly: "I am that dirt of a Deputy whom you befooled at Boisvert." Then, raising his voice, "Garin!" he shouted, and immediately the door opened and the soldiers filed in.
Ombreval stood like a statue, thunderstruck with amazement at this most unlooked-for turning of the tables, his face ashen, his weak mouth fallen open and his eyes fearful.
Des Cadoux, who had also risen, seemed to take in the situation at a glance.