"Victory, mademoiselle!" she exclaimed, rapturously. "Explain, if you please." "Mademoiselle is aware that her dressing-room opens into my bedroom." "Yes." "And adjoining my chamber there is a large room containing the wardrobes for mademoiselle's dresses." "Well?" "There is a door in this room which opens upon a narrow staircase to which I never paid any attention before." "And where does this staircase lead?" "It leads down to a small door which has been closed up, but which opens, as nearly as I can judge, upon the side street." "This door opens upon the street?" cried Mlle. de Beaumesnil, quickly. "Yes, mademoiselle, and this is not at all surprising. In many of the large houses in this neighbourhood there are small private stairways leading up to the sleeping apartments, because in former times the ladies of the court--" "The ladies of the court?" inquired Ernestine, so naively that Madame Laine's eyes fell before the girl's innocent gaze. So, fearing that she was going too far, and that she might imperil her recently acquired intimacy with her pupil, Madame Laine said: "I don't care to fill mademoiselle's ears with a lot of servants' gossip." "And you are right. But if this door which leads into the street is condemned, how shall we open it?" "It is bolted and nailed up on the inside--but mademoiselle needn't worry. I have all night before me, and to-morrow morning I hope to have a good report to make to mademoiselle." "Very well If you think it necessary, inform your friend, Madame Herbaut, in advance that you will bring a relative with you to-morrow evening." "I will do so, though it isn't at all necessary. Mademoiselle, if she accompanies me, will be as cordially received as I am. There is very little ceremony among people of that class." "Very well, it is understood, then. But I repeat once more that I shall expect the utmost caution on your part. Your reward depends upon that." "Mademoiselle can punish me in any way she pleases if I break my word." "I would much rather reward you. See what you can do about that door now, and let me hear early to-morrow morning." "But really, mademoiselle, all this is very extraordinary!" "What do you mean?" "I refer to mademoiselle's desire to go to Madame Herbaut's. It seems to me such a strange idea on mademoiselle's part. But I feel no uneasiness," added the governess, with a complacent air. "I know mademoiselle too well to suppose for one moment that she would involve a poor woman like myself in any trouble, and though I do not presume to question mademoiselle, may I not--as I, of course, must not speak of this matter to any one else--may I not know why, mademoiselle--" "Good-night, my dear Laine," said mademoiselle, rising, and thus putting an end to the conversation. "Let me know the results of your researches early to-morrow morning."