It is not to me that you are indebted for the sensational (I think that that was the term used) part of my story, but rather to Madame de Mussidan and Norbert de Champdoce.

I am sure that some of the phrases must have struck you considerably." "It seems to me," objected Catenac-- "Perhaps," broke in Mascarin, "you have forgotten the correspondence which the Countess de Mussidan preserved so carefully--both his letters and her own, which Norbert returned to her." "And we have those ?" "Of course we have, only there is a perfect romance contained in these letters.

What I have read is a mere bald extract from them; and this is not all.

The man who assisted me in the unravelling of this dark intrigue was the original promoter--Daumon." "What, is the Counsellor still alive ?" "Certainly, and you know him.

He is not quite in his first youth, and has aged somewhat, but his intellect is as brilliant as ever." Catenac grew serious.