"
"I suppose he is not far off now," he suggested. "Send for him.
Ten to one he will have made inquiries, and it will amuse us."
I went to the door and, opening it a trifle, bade the page who
waited send La Trape. He passed on the message to a crowd of
sleepy attendants, and quickly, but not before I had gone back to
the King's bedside, La Trape entered.
Having my eyes turned the other way, I did not at once remark
anything. But the King did; and his look of astonishment, no
less than the exclamation which accompanied it, arrested my
attention. "St. Gris, man!" he cried. "What is the matter?
Speak!"
La Trape, who had stopped just within the door, made an effort to
do so, but no sound passed his lips; while his pallor and the
fixed glare of his eyes filled me with the worst apprehensions.
It was impossible to look at him and not share his fright, and I
stepped forward and cried out to him to speak. "Answer the King,
man," I said. "What is it?"
He made an effort, and with a ghastly grimace, "The cat is dead!"
he said.
Pages:
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335