The Vicomte D'Halluys Receives Brother Jacques' Absolvo Te

Victor saw his friend, nodded and smiled. But the Chevalier did not
return the smile. Had Victor looked closer he would have seen the pall
of impending tragedy on the Chevalier's darkened brow.

"Ha!" said the vicomte, as he stirred the dominoes about; "there you
are, Chevalier. Come and take a hand." He smiled encouragingly.

The Chevalier went slowly toward the table, never taking his eyes from
the vicomte's face. When he finally stood beside the vicomte's stool,
he stretched out his arm and opened his hand.

"Monsieur le Vicomte," he said, "do you recognize these ten pieces of
silver?"

Not a man among them all but felt the ice of a chill strike his spine
at the sound of the Chevalier's voice. Every head in the room turned.

"Recognize?" The vicomte looked from the hand to the owner's face upon
which lay a purpose as calm and relentless as it was deadly.
"Recognize? What do you mean, Monsieur?"

The Chevalier answered with a repellent laugh. "Your economy does you
credit; you have sold me to a drunken corporal for ten pieces of
silver." With a swift movement he flung the silver into the vicomte's
upturned face.

The vicomte covered his face with his hands and sprang to his feet.
But no sound escaped him. When he withdrew his hands his lips were
bleeding and there were blue ridges on his cheeks and forehead.

Confusion. Priests and soldiers and adventurers gathered quickly
around. Du Puys took the Chevalier by the shoulders and pressed him
back from the table, while Brother Jacques threw his arms around the
vicomte. Only the Chevalier and the victim of his rage were apparently
calm.