"To the house of Madame de Beaumesnil," replied the good woman, in a very important tone. "She desires some information which I alone can give, it seems. May I turn Bonapartist if I know what to make of all this!" But the next instant the former midwife uttered an exclamation, as if a new and startling idea had just occurred to her, and, turning to her employer, she said: "Monsieur, will you step out into the garden a moment with me? I want to say a word to you in private." "Oh," replied the veteran, following the lady out of the arbour, "it is an important matter, it seems. Go on; I am listening, Madame Barbancon." The housekeeper, having led her employer a short distance from the arbour, turned to him and said, with a mysterious air: "Monsieur, do you know Madame Herbaut, who lives on the second floor and has two daughters? The lady to whom I introduced M. Olivier about a fortnight ago, you recollect." "I don't know her, but you have often spoken to me about her. Well, what of it?" "I recollect now that one of her particular friends, Madame Laine, is now in Italy, acting as governess to the daughter of a countess whose name sounds something like Beaumesnil. In fact, it may be this very same countess." "It may be, I admit, Mother Barbancon. Well, go on." "And she may have heard about me through Madame Laine, whom I have met at Madame Herbaut's." "That, too, is very possible, Madame Barbancon. You will soon know for a certainty, however, as you are going to Madame Beaumesnil's." "_Mon Dieu!_ monsieur, another idea has just occurred to me." "Let us hear it," said the veteran, with infinite patience. "I have told you about that masked lady who--" "You're not going to tell that story again, surely!" cried the commander, with the evident intention of beating a retreat. "No, monsieur, but what if all this should have some connection with that young lady?" "The quickest way to ascertain, Mother Barbancon, is to get off as soon as possible. We shall both be the gainers by it." "You are right, monsieur. I will go at once." And following her employer, who had returned to his guests in the arbour, the housekeeper said to the footman, who was still standing a few feet from the gate: "Young man, as soon as I can get my bonnet and shawl on I shall be at your service." And a few minutes afterwards Madame Barbancon, triumphantly passing the gate in her carriage, felt that the deference due her employer made it incumbent upon her to rise to her feet in the vehicle, and bow low to the commander and his guests. Just then the clock in a neighbouring church struck seven. "Seven o'clock!" exclaimed Olivier, evidently much annoyed. "I am very sorry, my dear Gerald, but I shall have to leave you." "Already! And why?" "I promised a worthy mason in the neighbourhood that I would go over his accounts with him this evening, and you have no idea what a task it is to straighten out books like his!"