"Why do you sigh?" she asked, looking alarmed. "Have you then so soon forgotten what I told you?" Of course she remembered the words. But what did they mean? "I cannot tell you now," he replied, "but, dear one, you know that I have opened up my soul to you, so that you might be able to understand me." "I do understand you, Henri, you know I do." "Then you will trust me, won't you?" Renée merely squeezed his hand, and looked into his eyes with a smile. "Of course I will," she added, as a slight cloud passed over Delapine's brow. "But does it mean that we shall be separated again?" she enquired after a long pause. "Yes, Renée, for some little time to come. But take courage, ma chérie, as I told you before it will all come right. And now, dear, the coffee is coming, and I hear Dr. Villebois in the hall." Renée rushed back to the piano and began turning over her music, while the professor sank demurely into an armchair, and was apparently deeply engaged in reading the _Petit Journal_ upside down when Villebois walked into the room. "Well, Delapine, mon brave, how is it that you are here so early?" "As a matter of fact I had some very important business to attend to here, and so I came a little earlier than I intended." "I hope the business proved satisfactory?" "Very much so indeed," replied Delapine, looking slyly at Renée, who blushed like a peony up to the roots of her hair. "Ha, ha! I see, I see," said Villebois, slyly shaking his finger at them both. "Splendid, splendid," he cried. "Take care of her, Delapine, my boy, you have won the greatest treasure in all France. And you, my dear, have got a man who has not his equal anywhere. He is something more than a man, he is a hero, Renée. Mark my words, before we are two years older he will be the greatest savant in Europe. Give me your hands, both of you, and let me be the first to join them together. 'Pon my word, I think I am as pleased as either of you. But, not a word, not a word, eh, professor?" "Thank you ever so much for your congratulations, doctor, and also for your hint of caution; were things otherwise, we should ask you to tell all the world, but under the circumstances it is better we should keep it strictly to ourselves. I have good reasons for believing that more than one person is anxious to separate us, and would do anything to get us out of the way." "Do you really mean it, professor? I can't imagine that anyone would wish you evil. Surely you don't mean to say that you have enemies who come to my house?" "It is not my habit to mention names, my dear doctor, but I assure you, you have a Judas among your disciples. Nay, you have two or three who would be delighted to see me dead." "Come, my dear professor, you don't really mean that. You must be joking. Take the people who were at the dinner the other evening, Riche, Marcel, the Duvals, father and son. Surely they are all your friends and strictly honourable."