"No, madame, here."

"But not here, Madame de Montalais!" To this Eve gave another nod and
smile. "But are you not afraid--?"

"Of what, madame? That they will be stolen? No. They have been in my
possession for years--indeed, I should be unhappy otherwise, for I have
inherited my father's fondness for them--and nobody has ever even
attempted to steal them."

"But what of the affair at Montpellier the other night?" enquired the
Comte de Lorgnes--"that terrible attack upon you of which Madame de
Sévénié has just told us? Surely you would call that an attempt to
steal."

"Simple highway robbery, if you like, monsieur le comte. But even had
it proved successful, I had very few jewels with me. All that mattered,
all that I would have minded losing, were here, in a safe place."

"Nevertheless," said Monk--"if you will permit me to offer a word of
advice--I think you are very unwise."

"It may be, monsieur."

"Nonsense!" Madame de Sévénié declared. "Who would dare attempt to
burglarise the Château de Montalais? Such a thing was never heard of."

"There is always the first time for everything, Madame," Monk suggested
gently. "I fancy it was your first experience of the sort, at