The corner of the lid that had been held to the candle was a little warped, so that the lid did not slide into its groove as easily as it did before. Herbert was disposed to use force upon the occasion; but Matilda with difficulty rescued her box by an argument which fortunately reached his understanding in time enough to stop his hand. "It was the heat of the candle that warped it," said she: "let us dip it into boiling water, which cannot be made _too_ hot, and that will, perhaps, bring it back to its shape." The lid of the box was dipped into boiling-water, and restored to its shape. Matilda, as she was wiping it dry, observed that some yellow paint, or varnish, came off, and in one spot, on the inside of the lid, she discovered something like writing. "Who will lend me a magnifying glass?" Favoretta produced hers. "I have kept it," said she, "a great, _great_ while, ever since we were at the Rational Toy-shop." "Mad. de Rosier, do look at this!" exclaimed Matilda--"here are letters quite plain!--I have found the name, I do believe, of the boy who made the box!" and she spelled, letter by letter, as she looked through the magnifying glass, the words Henri-Montmorenci. Mad. de Rosier started up; and Matilda, surprised at her sudden emotion, put the box and magnifying glass into her hand. Madame de Rosier's hand trembled so much that she could not fix the glass. "Je ne vois rien--lisez--vite!--ma chère amie--un mot de plus!" said she, putting the glass again into Matilda's hand, and leaning over her shoulder with a look of agonizing expectation. The word _de_ was all Matilda could make out--Isabella tried--it was in vain--no other letters were visible. "_De_ what?--_de_ Rosier!--it must be! my son is alive!" said the mother. Henri-Montmorenci was the name of Mad. de Rosier's son; but when she reflected for an instant that this might also be the name of some other person, her transport of joy was checked, and seemed to be converted into despair. Her first emotions over, the habitual firmness of her mind returned. She sent directly to the repository--no news of the boy could there be obtained. Lady N---- was gone, for a few days, to Windsor; so no intelligence could be had from her. Mrs. Harcourt was out--no carriage at home--but Mad. de Rosier set out immediately, and walked to Golden-square, near which place she knew that a number of French emigrants resided. She stopped first at a bookseller's shop; she described the person of her son, and inquired if any such person had been seen in that neighbourhood.