Halting short in his speech he turned pale and trembled, staring as at a ghost.

He had never counted on this.
His breath almost stopped as he saw Ranulph approach Detricand.
Now the end was come.

His fabric of lies would be torn down; he would be tried and hanged on the Mont es Pendus, or even be torn to pieces by this crowd.

Yet he could not have moved a foot from where he was if he had been given a million pounds.
The sight of Ranulph's face revealed to Detricand the true meaning of this farce and how easily it might become a tragedy.

He read the story of the son's torture, of his sacrifice; and his decision was instantly made: he would befriend him.