'
It was on my lips to return the remark, but I refrained.
'I can assure you,' said I, 'that I am merely a traveller who have lost
my way. Now that I am refreshed and rested I will not encroach further
upon your hospitality, except to ask you to point out the way to the
nearest village.'
'Tut; you had best stay where you are, for the night grows wilder every
instant.' As he spoke there came a whoop and scream of wind in the
chimney, as if the old place were coming down about our ears. He walked
across to the window and looked very earnestly out of it, just as I had
seen him do upon my first approach. 'The fact is, Monsieur Laval,' said
he, looking round at me with his false-air of good fellowship, 'you may
be of some good service to me if you will wait here for half an hour or
so.'
'How so?' I asked, wavering between my distrust and my curiosity.
'Well, to be frank with you'--and never did a man look less frank as he
spoke--'I am waiting here for some of those people with whom I do
business; but in some way they have not come yet, and I am inclined to
take a walk round the marsh on the chance of finding them, if they have
lost their way.
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