I cannot play till I have my table.
_Scelerats! je suis vole! je l'ai perdu! je l'ai perdu_! Ah, what shall
I do? What shall I do? They have taken my table--they have taken...."

He burst into tears, moaned twice or thrice, closed his eyes, and fell
into a troubled sleep.

The landlady sobbed. Hers was a kind heart, and the little Frenchman's
simple courtesy had won her good-will from the first.

"He had real quality manners," she said, disconsolately. "I do believe,
gentlemen, that he had seen better days. Poor as he was, he never
disputed the price of anything; and he never spoke to me without taking
off his hat."

"Upon my soul, Mistress Cobbe," said my father, "I incline to your
opinion. I do think he is not what he seems."

"And if I only knew where to find his friends, I shouldn't care half so
much!" exclaimed the landlady. "It do seem so hard that he should die
here, and not one of his own blood follow him to the grave! Surely he
has some one who loves him!"

"There was something said the other day about a child," mused my father.
"Have no papers or letters been found about his person?"

"None at all. Why, Doctor, you were here last night when we searched for
Master Basil's watch, and you are witness that he had nothing of the
kind in his possession. As to his luggage, that's only a carpet-bag and
his conjuring things, and we looked through them as carefully as
possible."

The Chevalier moaned again, and tossed his arms feebly in his sleep.
"The proofs," said he. "The proofs! I can do nothing without
the proofs."

My father listened. The landlady shook her head.

"He has been going on like that ever since you left, sir," she said
pitifully; "fancying he's been robbed, and calling out about the
proofs--only ten times more violent. Then, again, he thinks he is going
to act, and asks for his table. It's wonderful how he takes on about
that trumpery table!"

Scarcely had she spoken the words when the Chevalier opened his eyes,
and, by a supreme effort, sat upright in his bed. The cold dew rose upon
his brow; his lips quivered; he strove to speak, and only an
inarticulate cry found utterance. My father flew to his support.

"If you have anything to say," he urged earnestly, "try to say it now!"

The dying man trembled convulsively, and a terrible look of despair came
into his wan face.

"Tell--tell" ... he gasped; but his voice failed him, and he could get
no further.

My father laid him gently dow