One of Mlle. Angèle's knitting-needles here dropped with a clatter on to the polished floor. "Oh, there is no harm in talking about that," said Mme. de Chaulnes placidly. "That is common property--the news of the coming expedition. (Yes, sit upon the rug, child, by the cat, if you are tired of the chair.) You see, all we Royalists are interested in the expedition, and know about it, even the place where it is going to land. Angèle, if it is your knitting-needle that you are looking for, it has rolled just by your foot." "I heard where the expedition was going to land," said Anne, with some excitement, as he slipped down beside the cat. "But I have forgotten it again." He looked inquiringly up at the old lady. Mme. de Chaulnes threw him a quizzical glance. "A very good thing too," she said, knitting rapidly. "I am not going to revive your memory, child. It is a mercy that children have short ones, if they are going to make a practice of attending consultations that should be secret," she remarked across the hearth to her sister. "I do not know that they are so short," said Mlle. Angèle, recapturing her needle. "I will wager you a crown, sister, that before he leaves us Anne remembers the name of the place where the expedition is to land." "Very good," said her sister-in-law. "But I do not think that he will." "Or better still," went on the younger fairy godmother, "let us wager with Anne himself that he does not remember it, and is not able to tell us before he leaves us. Then, if he does, he will have the crown to put into his money-box--for I expect he has a money-box of his own." "Oh yes, indeed I have," said the little boy. He suddenly became silent, gently stroking the grey fur to his hand. Mme. de Chaulnes finished turning the heel of her stocking. "Well, what are you thinking of, child?" she asked at length, resuming her fourth needle. "I was remembering that there was something I wanted to ask M. le Chevalier when he came to say good-bye to me before going to Jersey; but now when he comes to our house for that, he will find that I came away here first, so I cannot ask him." Mme. de Chaulnes put down her knitting. "So he was going to say good-bye to you before leaving for Jersey, was he? He is a great friend of yours, then, this M. de la Vireville?" "I like him very much," responded the Comte de Flavigny with precision. "Well, what did you want to ask him? Perhaps I can tell you the answer." "I wanted very much to know," said Anne slowly, "why he has two names?" Mme. de Chaulnes raised her eyebrows. "Has he then two?" "Oh yes," exclaimed the child. "At the meeting I heard them call him 'Monsieur Augustin,' and I wondered why, because I know it is not one of his noms de baptême." Mlle. Angèle made a strange gesture with her little mittened hands. Mme. de Chaulnes frowned at her.