my discretion, Monsieur," I murmured, without
showing, I flatter myself, the slightest trace of that astonishment
which, at mention of M. de Marsan's name, had nearly rendered me
speechless.

"M. de Marsan came to see me in utmost distress, Monsieur," resumed
the lovely creature. "He had no one in whom he could--or rather
dared--confide. He is in the Chancellerie for Foreign Affairs. His
uncle M. de Talleyrand thinks a great deal of him and often entrusts
him with very delicate work. This morning he gave M. de Marsan a
valuable paper to copy--a paper, Monsieur, the importance of which it
were impossible to overestimate. The very safety of this country, the
honour of our King, are involved in it. I cannot tell you its exact
contents, and it is because I would not tell more about it to the
police that they would not help me in any way, and referred me to you.
How could they, said the chief Commissary to me, run after a document
the contents of which they did not even know? But you will be
satisfied with what I have told you, will you not, my dear M.
Ratichon?" she continued, with a pathetic quiver in her voice and a
look of appeal in her eyes which St. Anthony himself could not have
resisted, "and help me to regain possession of that paper, the final
loss of which would cost M. de Marsan his life."

To say that my feeling of elation of a while ago had turned to one of
supreme beatitude would be to put it very mildly indeed. To think that
here was this lovely being in tears before me, and that it lay in my
power to dry those tears with a word and to bring a smile round those
perfect lips, literally made my mouth water in anticipation--for I am
sure that you will have guessed, just as I did in a moment, that the
valuable document of which this adorable being was speaking, was
snugly hidden away under the flooring of my room in Passy. I hated
that unknown de Marsan. I hated this Arthur who leaned so familiarly
over her chair, but I had the power to render her a service beside
which their lesser claims on her regard would pale.

However, I am not the man to act on impulse, even at a moment like
this. I wanted to think the whole matter over first, and . . .
well . . . I had made up my mind to demand five thousand francs when
I handed the document over to my first client to-morrow morning. At
any rate, for the moment I acted--if I may say so--with great
circumspection and dignity.

"I must presume, Mademoiselle," I said i