"During the ten years I have been in the service of madame la comtesse, I have never known any young girl who came regularly to the house or who seemed to be a protegee of hers." "Are you sure?" "Perfectly sure, M. le marquis." "And Madame de Beaumesnil never entrusted you with any commission in connection with the young girl of whom I speak?" "Never, M. le marquis. Many persons applied to madame for aid, for she was very liberal, but I never noticed that she gave any particular person the preference or interested herself any more in one person than in another, and I feel sure that if madame had wished any confidential mission performed, she would certainly have entrusted it to me." "That is exactly what I thought, and it was for that very reason I felt confident of securing some information from you. Come now, try and think if you can not remember some young girl in whom Madame de Beaumesnil has seemed to take a special interest for some time past." "I can remember no one, absolutely no one," answered Madame Dupont after several minutes of profound reflection. The thought of Herminie did occur to her, but was instantly dismissed, for there had been nothing in Madame de Beaumesnil's manner towards the young musician that indicated any special interest; besides, she and the countess had met for the first time less than a fortnight before the latter's death, while the marquis declared that the young girl of whom he was in search had been under Madame de Beaumesnil's protection for a long time. "Then I must endeavour to secure my information elsewhere," said the marquis, with a sigh. "Wait a moment, M. le marquis," exclaimed Madame Dupont. "What I am going to tell you may have no connection with the young girl of whom you speak, but it will do no harm to mention it." "Let me hear what it is." "The day before her death, madame la comtesse sent for me, and said: 'Take a cab and carry this letter to a woman who lives in the Batignolles. Do not tell her who sent you, but bring her back with you, and show her up to my room immediately upon her arrival.'" "And this woman's name?" "Was a very peculiar one, M. le marquis, and I have not forgotten it. She is called Madame Barbancon." "Was she a frequent visitor at Madame de Beaumesnil's house?" "She was never there except that once." "And did you bring this woman to Madame de Beaumesnil's?" "I did not." "How was that?" "After giving me the order I just spoke of, madame seemed to change her mind, for she said to me: 'All things considered, Madame Dupont, you had better not take a cab. It would give the affair an air of mystery. Order out the carriage, give this letter to the footman, and tell him to deliver it to the person to whom it is addressed.'" "And he found the woman?" "Yes, M. le marquis." "And did Madame de Beaumesnil have a conversation with her?" "The interview lasted at least two hours, M. le marquis." "How old was this woman?"