Somewhere in the neighbourhood of the villa--that was quite sufficient
to warrant an arrest.
The boy in question happened to be a relation of his arch-enemy, the
parish priest. Better still. Chuckling at the happy coincidence, he
forgot all about Mr. Eames, and gave orders for the other to be
conveyed to the guard-house, searched, and interrogated, arguing
plausibly that a person of his mental instability would be sure to give
himself away by some stupid remark.
Things turned out better than he had dared to hope. Under the
prisoner's clothing was discovered a gold coin of foreign nationality
attached, by a piece of string, round his neck. For all one knew, it
might have been Muhlen's. The interrogating carbineer who is invested,
during such preliminary enquiries, with quasi-judicial functions--being
permitted to assume the role of prosecuting or defending counsel, or to
remain sternly unbiased, as he feels inclined--desired to learn how he
had come by this jewel.
He received it long ago from his mother, he said, as a talisman against
the moonsickness which had tormented him in childhood.
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