88
THE MAN WITH THE BLACK FEATHER
is the portrait of that great eighteenth-century king of thieves, Cartouche!"
Theophrastus stared at the portrait with eyes that opened and opened as a sickly pallor overspread his anguished face; a little grunt broke from his parted lips, and he dropped to the ground in a dead faint.
Adolphe dropped on his knees beside him, unfastened his collar, and slapped his hands vigorously. Then he blew out the candle, turned the portrait with its face to the wall, and opened the window.
Theophrastus was a long time recovering his senses. When he did, his first words were:
"On no account tell my wife, Adolphe!"
