But his reference to it
at this moment, when my mind was full of my loss, angered me, and
even awoke my suspicions. "Silence!" I said, "and answer me.
Have you let this bag out of your possession?" This time he
replied straightforwardly that he had not.
"Nor unlocked it?"
"I have no key, your excellency."
That was true; and as I had at bottom the utmost confidence in
his fidelity, I pursued the inquiry no farther in that direction,
but made a third search among the papers. This also failing to
bring the packet to light, and Ferret being in haste to be gone,
I was obliged for the moment to put up with the loss, and draw
what comfort I could from the reflection that, no despatch in the
missing cipher was extant. Whoever had stolen it, therefore,
another could be substituted for it and no one the worse. Still
I was unwilling that the King should hear of the mischance from a
stranger, and be led to think me careless; and I bade Ferret be
silent about it unless Henry missed the packet, which might not
happen before my arrival.
Pages:
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147