“You cannot offend me, mademoiselle,” replied the magistrate.  “I have already told you that I am devoted to your service.”

“Then sir, help me to prove the truth of what I have said.  I will tell you everything.”

M. Daburon was fully convinced that Claire was seeking to deceive him; but her confidence astonished him.  He wondered what fable she was about to concoct.

“Sir,” began Claire, “you know what obstacles have stood in the way of my marriage with Albert.  The Count de Commarin would not accept me for a daughter-in-law, because I am poor, I possess nothing.  It took Albert five years to triumph over his father’s objections.  Twice the count yielded; twice he recalled his consent, which he said had been extorted from him.  At last, about a month ago, he gave his consent of his own accord.  But these hesitations, delays, refusals, had deeply hurt my grandmother.  You know her sensitive nature; and, in this case, I must confess she was right.  Though the wedding day had been fixed, the marchioness declared that we should not be compromised nor laughed at again for any apparent haste to contract a marriage so advantageous, that we had often before been accused of ambition.  She decided, therefore, that, until the publication of the banns, Albert should only be admitted into the house every other day, for two hours in the afternoon, and in her presence.  We could not get her to alter this determination.  Such was the state of affairs, when, on Sunday morning, a note came to me from Albert.  He told me that pressing business would prevent his coming, although it was his regular day.  What could have happened to keep him away?  I feared some evil.  The next day I awaited him impatiently and distracted, when his valet brought Schmidt a note for me.  In that letter, sir, Albert entreated me to grant him an interview.  It was necessary, he wrote, that he should have a long conversation with me, alone, and without delay.  Our whole future, he added, depended upon this interview.  He left me to fix the day and hour, urging me to confide in no one.  I did not hesitate.  I sent him word to meet me on the Tuesday evening, at the little garden gate, which opens into an unfrequented street.  To inform me of his presence, he was to knock just as nine o’clock chimed at the Invalides.  I knew that my grandmother had invited a number of her friends for that evening; and I thought that, by pretending a headache, I might retire early, and so be free.  I expected, also, that Madame d’Arlange would keep Schmidt with her.”

“Excuse me, mademoiselle,” interrupted M. Daburon, “what day did you write to M. Albert?”

“On Tuesday.”

“Can you fix the hour?”

“I must have sent the letter between two and three o’clock.”

“Thanks, mademoiselle.  Continue, I pray.”