"For, in case we should make a mistake--" "Which may happen to any one, even one who has the best intentions in the world." "Certainly, marquis. Well, in that event, you would not fail to come to our assistance, and warn us of our danger." "That is what an observer is for," laughingly remarked M. de Maillefort, rising to take leave. "What, marquis, you are going so soon?" "To my great regret. I must make the tour of five or six drawing-rooms, to hear what people are saying about your young heiress. You have no idea how amusing, curious, and sometimes revolting the remarks upon the subject of her immense dowry are!" "Ah, well, my dear marquis," said Madame de la Rochaigue, offering her hand to the hunchback in the most cordial manner, "I hope to see you often, very often; and as all this seems to interest you so much, I shall keep you fully posted." "And I, too, will promise to tell you everything I hear. It will be wonderfully amusing. And, by the way," added the marquis, with the most careless air imaginable, though he had come to Madame de la Rochaigue's house as much to endeavour to secure some light upon an as yet impenetrable mystery as to see Ernestine,--"by the way, did you ever hear anything about an illegitimate child that M. de Beaumesnil left?" "M. de Beaumesnil?" asked the baroness, with evident surprise. "Yes," replied the hunchback, for, in putting the question thus, he hoped to attain his object without endangering the secret he thought he had discovered in relation to Madame de Beaumesnil; "yes, did you never hear that M. de Beaumesnil had an illegitimate child?" "No," replied the baroness, "this is the first time I ever heard of any such rumour, though a long while ago there was some talk about a liaison the countess had prior to her marriage. It must, consequently, have been in connection with her that you heard this story of an illegitimate child, but I, myself, have never heard anything on the subject before." "Then whether this rumour relates to the count or the countess, there is evidently not the slightest truth in it, my dear baroness, for, by reason of your close connection with the family, you would have been sure to know of the matter." "And I assure you, marquis, that we have never heard or seen anything that would lead us to suppose that either M. or Madame de Beaumesnil left any illegitimate child." M. de Maillefort, who was endowed with an unusual amount of penetration, as well as tact, now felt fully convinced of Madame de la Rochaigue's entire ignorance of the existence of any illegitimate child, and the failure of this fresh attempt on his part caused him deep chagrin, particularly as he began to despair of discovering any trace of this unknown child, and of thus complying with Madame de Beaumesnil's dying request. Madame de la Rochaigue, without appearing to notice the hunchback's preoccupation, continued, gaily: