hours, his wife
will be jealous and make a scene when he comes back."

"Here we are, without meeting a soul on the way," said Chesnel. "You are
the more sure of complete ascendency here, Mme. la Duchesse, since Mme.
Camusot's father is one Thirion, usher of the royal cabinet."

"And the King never thought of that!" exclaimed the Duchess. "He
thinks of nothing! Thirion introduced us, the Prince de Cadignan, M.
de Vandeness, and me! We shall have it all our own way in this house.
Settle everything with M. Camusot while I talk to his wife."

The maid, who was washing and dressing the children, showed the visitors
into the little fireless dining-room.

"Take that card to your mistress," said the Duchess, lowering her voice
for the woman's ear; "nobody else is to see it. If you are discreet,
child, you shall not lose by it."

At the sound of a woman's voice, and the sight of the handsome young
man's face, the maid looked thunderstruck.

"Wake M. Camusot," said Chesnel, "and tell him, that I am waiting to see
him on important business," and she departed upstairs forthwith.

A few minutes later Mme. Camusot, in her dressing-gown, sprang
downstairs and brought the handsome stranger into her room. She had
pushed Camusot out of bed and into his study with all his clothes,
bidding him dress himself at once and wait there. The transformation
scene had been brought about by a bit of pasteboard with the words
MADAME LA DUCHESSE DE MAUFRIGNEUSE engraved upon it. A daughter of the
usher of the royal cabinet took in the whole situation at once.

"Well!" exclaimed the maid-servant, left with Chesnel in the
dining-room, "Would not any one think that a thunderbolt had dropped in
among us? The master is dressing in his study; you can go upstairs."

"Not a word of all this, mind," said Chesnel.

Now that he was conscious of the support of a great lady who had the
King's consent (by word of mouth) to the measures about to be taken for
rescuing the Comte d'Esgrignon, he spoke with an air of authority, which
served his cause much better with Camusot than the humility with which
he would otherwise have approached him.

"Sir," said he, "the words let fall last evening may have surprised you,
but they are serious. The house of d'Esgrignon counts upon you for the
proper conduct of investigations from which it must issue without a
spot."

"I shall pass over anything in your remarks, sir, which must be
offensive to me personally, and o