"He is most anxious to know you." "Oh," murmured Helene; "I feel as if I should faint." Madame Desroches ran to her, and supported her. "Do you feel so much terror," asked she, "at seeing one who loves you?" "It is not terror, it is agitation," said Helene. "I did not know that it would be to-night; and this important news quite overcomes me." "But I have not told you all: this person is necessarily surrounded by mystery." "Why so?" "I am forbidden to reply to that question, mademoiselle." "What necessity can there be for such precautions with a poor orphan like me?" "They are necessary, believe me." "But in what do they consist?" "Firstly, you may not see the face of this person; so that you may not recognize him if you meet him in the world." "Then he will come masked?" "No, mademoiselle: but the lights will be extinguished." "Then we shall be in darkness?" "Yes." "But you will remain with me, Madame Desroches." "No, mademoiselle; that is expressly forbidden." "By whom?" "By the person who is coming." "But do you, then, owe such absolute obedience to this person?" "More than that, mademoiselle, I owe him the deepest respect." "Is he, then, of such high station?" "He is of the very highest in France." "And he is my relation?" "The nearest." "For Heaven's sake, Madame Desroches, do not leave me in uncertainty on this point." "I have already told you, mademoiselle, that there are some questions to which I am expressly forbidden to reply," and she was about to retire. "Why do you leave me?" asked Helene. "I leave you to your toilet." "But, madame--" Madame Desroches made a low, ceremonious curtsey, and went out of the room, closing the door behind her. CHAPTER VII. A SERVANT IN THE ROYAL LIVERY.--MONSEIGNEUR LE DUC D'ORLEANS. While the things which we have related were passing in the parlor of the hotel Tigre-Royal, in another apartment of the same hotel, seated near a large fire, was a man shaking the snow from his boots, and untying the strings of a large portfolio. This man was dressed in the hunting livery of the house of Orleans; the coat red and silver, large boots, and a three-cornered hat, trimmed with silver. He had a quick eye, a long pointed nose, a round and open forehead, which was contradicted by thin and compressed lips. This man murmured to himself some phrases which he interrupted by oaths and exclamations, which seemed less the result of words than thoughts. "Come, come," said he, "M. de Montaran did not deceive me, and our Bretons are hard at the work; but for what earthly reason can he have come by such short stages? He left at noon on the 11th, and only arrived on the evening of the 21st. This probably hides some new mystery, which will be explained by the fellow recommended by Montaran, and with whom my people were in communication on the journey. Hola!" And he rang a silver bell. A man, dressed in gray, like those we have seen on the route, appeared. "Ah! it is you, Tapin?"