Adrienne, too much interested in the fate of the workman to think of answering Tripeaud or the princess, listened in silence, and strove to conceal her uneasiness.

“The magistrate,” resumed Madame de Saint-Dizier, “began by a severe examination of these young girls; to learn if any man had, with their knowledge, been introduced into the house; with incredible effrontery, they answered that they had seen nobody enter.”

“The true-hearted, honest girls!” thought Mademoiselle de Cardoville, full of joy; “the poor workman is safe! the protection of Dr. Baleinier will do the rest.”

“Fortunately,” continued the princess, “one of my women, Mrs. Grivois, had accompanied me.  This excellent person, remembering to have seen Mademoiselle return home at eight o’clock in the morning, remarked with much simplicity to the magistrate, that the man, whom they sought, might probably have entered by the little garden gate, left open, accidentally, by Mademoiselle.”

“It would have been well, madame,” said Tripeaud, “to have caused to be noted also in the report, that Mademoiselle had returned home at eight o’clock in the morning.”

“I do not see the necessity for this,” said the doctor, faithful to his part:  “it would have been quite foreign to the search carried on by the commissary.”

“But, doctor,” said Tripeaud.

“But, baron,” resumed M. Baleinier, in a firm voice, “that is my opinion.”

“It was not mine, doctor,” said the princess; “like M. Tripeaud, I considered it important to establish the fact by an entry in the report, and I saw, by the confused and troubled countenance of the magistrate, how painful it was to register the scandalous conduct of a young person placed in so high a position in society.”

“Certainly, madame,” said Adrienne, losing patience, “I believe your modesty to be about equal to that of this candid commissary of police; but it seems to me, that your mutual innocence was alarmed a little too soon.  You might, and ought to have reflected, that there was nothing extraordinary in my coming home at eight o’clock, if I had gone out at six.”

“The excuse, though somewhat tardy, is at least cunning,” said the princess, spitefully.

“I do not excuse myself, madame,” said Adrienne; “but as M. Baleinier has been kind enough to speak a word in my favor, I give the possible interpretation of a fact, which it would not become me to explain in your presence.”

“The fact will stand, however, in the report,” said Tripeaud, “until the explanation is given.”

Abbe d’Aigrigny, his forehead resting on his hand, remained as if a stranger to this scene; he was too much occupied with his fears at the consequences of the approaching interview between Mdlle. de Cardoville and Marshal Simon’s daughters—­for there seemed no possibility of using force to prevent Adrienne from going out that evening.