Under cover of my cloak I drew my dagger half-way from its sheath.

'Proceed, sir, I pray,' I repeated with dry lips.
'You slept there,' he continued, holding his ground, but shuddering slightly, either from cold or because he perceived my movement and read my design in my eyes.
'This morning you remained here in attendance on M.de Rambouillet.' For the moment I breathed freely again, perceiving that though he knew much, the one thing on which M.de Rosny's design turned had escaped him.

The secret interview with the king, which compromised alike Henry himself and M.de Rambouillet, had apparently passed unnoticed and unsuspected.

With a sigh of intense relief I slid back the dagger, which I had fully made up my mind to use had he known all, and drew my cloak round me with a shrug of feigned indifference.

I sweated to think what he did know, but our interview with the king having escaped him, I breathed again.
'Well, sir,' I said curtly, 'I have listened.