I
could not imagine how the King, who had again and again urged on
me the utmost precaution, would take such a catastrophe; nor how
I should make it known to him. For a moment, therefore, while I
listened to the tale, I felt the hair rise on my head and a
shiver descend my back; nor was it without an uncommon effort
that I retained my coolness and composure.
Plainly no steps in such a position could be too stringent. I
sent Maignan with an order to close all the doors and let no one
pass out. Then I made sure that none of the servants had entered
the room, between the time of my rising and return; and this
narrowed the tale of those who could have taken the packet to
eleven, that being the number of persons who had sat down with
me. But having followed the matter so far, I came face to face
with this difficulty: that all the eleven were, with one
exception, in my service and in various ways pledged to my
interests, so that I could not conceive even the possibility of a
betrayal by them in a matter so important.
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