"The old friends of the country, monsieur. It is amazing how they hang together. Monsieur Joseph de la Marinière is brother of Monsieur Urbain, Monsieur Ange is Monsieur Urbain's son, Monsieur le Comte de Sainfoy is their cousin--and I heard the servants saying, only last night, how beautiful the two young people looked, handing the coffee together--though I should certainly have thought, myself, that Monsieur le Comte would have made a better marriage than that for his daughter. But they say the young gentleman's face--" "Stop your fool's chatter!" cried the General, furiously. "But that is just what I said, monsieur, to the Prefect's fellow who told me. I said this young Angelot was a silly boy who cared for nothing but practical jokes. Besides, if he is mixed up in Chouan conspiracies, Monsieur de Sainfoy could hardly afford--and after all, cousins are cousins. You may be very intimate with a cousin, but it does not follow--does it, monsieur?" "Once for all, put that foolery out of your head. Now listen. You have told me your grievance against the Prefect. I will tell you mine." And the police officer listened with all his ears, while General Ratoneau told him his story of last night and to-day. "Ah!" he said thoughtfully--"I see--I see very well. Monsieur le Comte is a foolish gentleman, and Madame la Comtesse is a wise lady. Then Monsieur Urbain de la Marinière--he is the friend of both--he visited Monsieur le Général to-day." This was a touch of curiosity, which the General did not satisfy, for he saw no good to be gained, at present, by mixing up Urbain's name in the business. He had made a good suggestion, which had failed. The General was aware that in consulting Simon he might be entering on dark ways where no gentleman would follow him. Simon's help might mean a good deal. It might mean arrests rather too near Monsieur Urbain to be pleasant. On one thing the General was resolved; by hook or by crook, by fair means or foul, Hélène de Sainfoy should become his wife. With her mother on his side, he suspected that any means would in the end be forgiven. He was never likely again to have such an opportunity of marrying into the old noblesse. Personally, Hélène attracted him; he had been thinking of her a good deal that day. "Monsieur de la Marinière--" he said rather gruffly--"Yes, he came to see me. He is of Madame de Sainfoy's opinion--he is a sensible man. No one would be more angry at your idiotic stories about his son. Now what next? I come down on the Prefect with your information, and demand the arrest of all these people, unless--hein?" "There are objections to that plan, monsieur." "What are they?"