"Be quiet and drink to his health," replied Sacqueville-Danglars. Buttrebeurrousse promptly did. Turning back to Pippand, Sacqueville-Danglars continued: "Before returning to Arnor, Gamgès followed his captain's last wish, and delivered a letter to Sharcoléon in exile in Brie. This letter, along with the act of accusation I am about to write, will keep M. Gamgès in prison for a long time, since Aragon XVIII's government considers Sharcoléonist opinions to be very unfashionable indeed." Sacqueville-Danglars thereupon took out a pen and paper and, writing with his left hand in order that his handwriting might be more difficult to recognize, penned the following act of accusation:
"Monsieur le steuard du roi is warned, by a friend of the throne and the Valards, that the hobbite named Samouard Gamgès, first mate of the vessel Pharazon, who arrived this morning from Rivendeau by way of Brie, has been charged by Trasque with a letter for the usurper, and, by the usurper, with a letter for the Sharcoléonist faction of Annuminas. The traitor is a stout little fellow with a cleft in his chin: a perky bonhobbite with a bright eye.
"You will find the proof of his crime in arresting him; for you will find this letter either on him, or on his father, or in his cabin on board the Pharazon."
After Pippand had read this sotto voce, Sacqueville-Danglars put the accusation into an envelope and sealed it.
