"Try to bring that lady's maid into town on pretence of shopping. Have
you any designs upon her?"

"If she has any savings I don't know but what I might. She is a sly
one, though."

"Tell her to come and see you at the sub-prefecture."

"Yes, monsieur. I'll go and tell her now."

"Don't say anything about me, or she might not come."

"Ah! monsieur; haven't I served at Gondreville?"

"You don't know why they sent that message from Cinq-Cygne at this
hour, do you? It is half-past nine o'clock."

"It must have been something pressing. The gentleman had only just
returned from Gondreville."

"Gondreville!--has he been to Gondreville?"

"He dined there, monsieur. If you went to the Mulet you'd laugh! The
little tiger is, saving your presence, as drunk as a fiddler. He drank
such a lot of champagne in the servants' hall that he can't stand on
his legs; they have been filling him for fun."

"And the count?"