Miller’s hands trembled somewhat, and he chose to cut the string with a dagger rather than to open it slowly. A number of pairs of eyes were fixed on the packet; the officers were breathless. The general unwound one roll of the cloth, a second, and a third, unwound with increasing haste till at last a package of wafers fell out on the table. Then he grew pale, and though no one asked what was in the package, he said, “Wafers!”
“Nothing more?” asked some one in the crowd.
“Nothing more!” answered the general, like an echo.
A moment of silence followed, broken only by panting; at times too was heard the gritting of teeth, at times the rattling of rapiers.
“Count Veyhard!” said Miller, at last, with a terrible and ill-omened voice.
“He is no longer here!” answered one of the officers.
A
