His expression became more and more embarrassed, for now at last, in spite of all his efforts, he could not avoid hearing them, and however slight his experience might be, he realised the full importance of the matters that were being discussed without any attempt at concealment; and yet how careful the evidently exalted personages whom he saw before him ought to be to keep them secret.
Sa contenance devenait de plus en plus embarrassée ; car enfin, quelque effort qu’il fît, il ne pouvait pas ne pas entendre, et quelque peu d’expérience qu’il eût, il comprenait toute l’importance des choses dont on parlait sans aucun déguisement ; et combien les hauts personnages qu’il avait apparemment sous les yeux devaient tenir à ce qu’elles restassent secrètes !