her desk
at this moment, without saying a word to him; nor yet that an old notary
would not have advised M. du Croisier of the deposit on his return to
town."

"The old notary, sir, had gone to Paris to put a stop to the young man's
extravagance."

"I have not yet examined the Comte d'Esgrignon," Camusot began; "his
answers will point out my duty."

"Is he in close custody?"

"Yes."

"Sir," said Chesnel, seeing danger ahead, "the examination can be made
in our interests or against them. But there are two courses open to you:
you can establish the fact on Mme. du Croisier's deposition that the
amount was deposited with her before the bill was drawn; or you can
examine the unfortunate young man implicated in this affair, and he in
his confusion may remember nothing and commit himself. You will decide
which is the more credible--a slip of memory on the part of a woman in
her ignorance of business, or a forgery committed by a d'Esgrignon."

"All this is beside the point," began Camusot; "the question is, whether
M. le Comte d'Esgrignon has or has not used the lower half of a letter
addressed to him by du Croisier as a bill of exchange."

"Eh! and so he might," a voice cried suddenly, as Mme. Camusot broke
in, followed by the handsome stranger, "so he might when M. Chesnel had
advanced the money to meet the bill----"

She leant over her husband.

"You will have the first vacant appointment as assistant judge at Paris,
you are serving the King himself in this affair; I have proof of it; you
will not be forgotten," she said, lowering her voice in his ear. "This
young man that you see here is the Duchesse de Maufrigneuse; you
must never have seen her, and do all that you can for the young Count
boldly."

"Gentlemen," said Camusot, "even if the preliminary examination is
conducted to prove the young Count's innocence, can I answer for the
view the court may take? M. Chesnel, and you also, my sweet, know what
M. le President wants."

"Tut, tut, tut!" said Mme. Camusot, "go yourself to M. Michu this
morning, and tell him that the Count has been arrested; you will be two
against two in that case, I will be bound. _Michu_ comes from Paris, and
you know he is devoted to the noblesse. Good blood cannot lie."

At that very moment Mlle. Cadot's voice was heard in the doorway. She
had brought a note, and was waiting for an answer. Camusot went out, and
came back again to read the note aloud:

"M. le Vice-President begs