which enchanted Henri, but one of them was surprised by the duenna;
she said a few rapid words to Paquita, who threw herself into the
_coupe_ with an air of desperation. For some days Paquita did not
appear in the Tuileries. Laurent, who by his master's orders was on
watch by the hotel, learned from the neighbors that neither the two
women nor the aged marquis had been abroad since the day upon which
the duenna had surprised a glance between the young girl in her charge
and Henri. The bond, so flimsy withal, which united the two lovers was
already severed.

Some days later, none knew by what means, De Marsay had attained his
end; he had a seal and wax, exactly resembling the seal and wax
affixed to the letters sent to Mademoiselle Valdes from London; paper
similar to that which her correspondent used; moreover, all the
implements and stamps necessary to affix the French and English
postmarks.

He wrote the following letter, to which he gave all the appearances of
a letter sent from London:--


"MY DEAR PAQUITA,--I shall not try to paint to you in words the
passion with which you have inspired me. If, to my happiness, you
reciprocate it, understand that I have found a means of
corresponding with you. My name is Adolphe de Gouges, and I live
at No. 54 Rue de l'Universite. If you are too closely watched to
be able to write to me, if you have neither pen nor paper, I shall
understand it by your silence. If then, to-morrow, you have not,
between eight o'clock in the morning and ten o'clock in the
evening, thrown a letter over the wall of your garden into that of