dy, while I stood before him, confounded by this new view of the
case, furious, yet not knowing how to vent my fury, cut to the heart by
his insults, yet without hope or prospect of redress.

'Come' he said harshly, after two or three minutes of gloomy reflection
on his part and burning humiliation on mine, 'is there anyone here who
can identify you, or in any other way confirm your story, sir? Until I
know how the matter stands I can do nothing.'

I shook my head in sullen shame. I might protest against his brutality
and this judgment of me, but to what purpose while he sheltered himself
behind his master?

'Stay!' he said presently, with an abrupt gesture of remembrance. 'I had
nearly forgotten. I have some here who have been lately at the King of
Navarre's Court at St. Jean d'Angely. If you still maintain that you
are the M. de Marsac to whom this commission was entrusted, you will
doubtless have no objection to seeing them?'

On this I felt myself placed in a most cruel dilemma if I refused to
submit my case to the proposed ordeal, I stood an impostor confessed.
If I consented to see these strangers, it was probable they would not
recognise me, and possible that they might deny me in terms calculated
to make my position even worse, if that might be. I hesitated but, Rosny
standing inexorable before me awaiting an answer, I finally consented.

'Good!' he said curtly. 'This way, if you please. They are here. The
latch is tricky. Nay, sir, it is my house.'

Obeying the stern motion of his hand, I passed before him into the next
room, feeling myself more humiliated than I can tell by this reference
to strangers. For a moment I could see no one. The day was waning, the
room I entered was long and narrow, and illuminated only by a glowing
fire. Besides I was myself, perhaps, in some embarrassment. I believed
that my conductor had made a mistake, or that his guests had departed,
and I turned towards him to ask for an explanation. He merely pointed
onwards, however, and I advanced; whereupon a young and handsome lady,
who had been seated in the shadow of the great fireplace, rose suddenly,
as if startled, and stood looking at me, the glow of the burning wood
falling on one side of her face and turning her hair to gold.

'Well!' M. de Rosny said, in a voice which sounded a little odd in my
ears. 'You do not know madame, I think?'

I saw that she was a complete stranger to me, and bowed to her without
speaking. The la