"No, my dear," said he; "and, now I think of it, I have not carried a
purse this twenty years."

The baroness, as a last resource, appealed to his honor whether he had
not left a purse and paper on the knights' bough. The question had to be
explained by Josephine, and then the doctor surprised them all by being
rather affronted--for once in his life.

"Baroness," said he, "I have been your friend and pensioner nearly
twenty years; if by some strange chance money were to come into my
hands, I should not play you a childish trick like this. What! have I
not the right to come to you, and say, 'My old friend, here I bring you
back a very small part of all I owe you?'"

"What geese we are," remarked Rose. "Dear doctor, YOU tell us who it
is."

Dr. Aubertin reflected a single moment; then said he could make a shrewd
guess.

"Who? who? who?" cried the whole party.

"Perrin the notary."

It was the baroness's turn to be surprised; for there was nothing
romantic about Perrin the notary. Aubertin, however, let her know that
he was in private communication with the said Perrin, and this was not
the first friendly act the good notary had done her in secret.

While he was converting the baroness to his view, Josephine and Rose