For him, the Clerk of the Court, to be blinded and made ridiculous with wads in his ears-impossible! "Grace of Heaven, I would prefer to lie!" he answered quickly.

"I will go into the next room, but I beg that you be brief, monsieur and madame.
You owe it to yourselves and to the situation to be brief, and, if I may say so, you owe it to me.

I am not a practised Ananias." "As well be hung for a sheep as a lamb, m'sieu'," returned Masson.
"I must beg that you will make your farewells of a minute and no more," replied the Clerk of the Court firmly.

He took out his watch.

"It is six o'clock.