ges and accompanied by an outrider. La Mole thought he
recognized the litter, and quickly stepped aside.

The young man was not mistaken.

"Monsieur de la Mole!" exclaimed a sweet voice from the litter, while a
hand as white and as smooth as satin drew back the curtains.

"Yes, madame, in person," replied La Mole bowing.

"Monsieur de la Mole with a plume in his hand," continued the lady in
the litter. "Are you in love, my dear monsieur, and are you recovering
lost traces?"

"Yes, madame," replied La Mole, "I am in love, and very much so. But
just now these are my own traces that I have found, although they are
not those for which I am searching. But will your majesty permit me to
inquire after your health?"

"It is excellent, monsieur; it seems to me that I have never been
better. This probably comes from the fact of my having spent the night
in retreat."

"Ah! in retreat!" said La Mole, looking at Marguerite strangely.

"Well, yes; what is there surprising in that?"

"May I, without indiscretion, ask you in what convent?"

"Certainly, monsieur, I make no mystery of it; in the convent of the
_Annonciade_. But what are you doing here with this startled air?"

"Madame, I too passed the night in retreat, and in the vicinity of the
same convent. This morning I am looking for my friend who has
disappeared, and in seeking him I came upon this plume."

"Whom does it belong to? Really, you frighten me about him; the place is
a bad one."

"Your majesty may be reassured; the plume belongs to me. I lost it here
about half-past five, as I was escaping from the hands of four bandits
who tried with all their might to murder me, or at least I think they
did."

Marguerite repressed a quick gesture of terror.

"Oh! tell me about it!" said she.

"Nothing is easier, madame. It was, as I have had the honor to tell your
majesty, about five o'clock in the morning."

"And you were already out at five o'clock in the morning?" interrupted
Marguerite.

"Your majesty will excuse me," said La Mole, "I had not yet returned."

"Ah! Monsieur de la Mole! you returned at five o'clock in the morning!"
said Marguerite with a smile which was fatal for every one, and which La
Mole was unfortunate enough to find adorable; "you returned so late, you
merited this punishment!"

"Therefore I do not complain, madame," said La Mole, bowing
respectfully, "and I should have been cut to pieces had I not considered
myself a hundred times mo