and
obtained permission to examine this note-book, and to her great joy,
under the letter "F," she found the entry: "Fortunat (Isidore), No. 28
Place de la Bourse." "Ah! I'm sure that I shall find Pascal now!" she
exclaimed. And after once more thanking the magistrate, she returned to
her room again.

Madame de Fondege was awaiting her with feverish impatience. "How long
you stayed!" she cried.

"I had so many explanations to give, madame."

"How you are tormented, my poor child!"

"Oh, shamefully!"

This furnished Madame de Fondege with another excuse for proffering
her advice. But Mademoiselle Marguerite would not allow herself to be
convinced at once. She raised a great many objections, and parleyed for
a long time before telling Madame de Fondege that she would be happy to
accept the hospitality which had been offered her. And her consent
was by no means unconditional. She insisted on paying her board, and
expressed the wish to retain the services of Madame Leon to whom she was
so much attached. The worthy housekeeper was present at this conference.
For an instant she had feared that Mademoiselle Marguerite suspected her
manoeuvres but her fears were now dispelled, and she even congratulated
herself on her skilfulness. Everything was arranged, and the agreement
had been sealed with a kiss, when the General returned about four
o'clock. "Ah, my dear!" cried his wife, "what happiness! We have a
daughter!"

But even this intelligence was scarcely sufficient to revive her
husband's drooping spirits. He had almost fainted when he heard the
earth falling on M. de Chalusse's coffin; and this display of weakness
on the part of a man adorned with such terrible and ferocious mustaches
had excited no little comment. "Yes, it is a great happiness!" he now
replied. "But thunder and lightning! I never doubted the dear girl's
heart!"

Still both he and his wife could scarcely conceal their disappointment
when the magistrate informed them that their beloved daughter would
not take her diamonds. "Dash it!" growled the General. "I recognize her
father in this! What delicacy! almost too much, perhaps!"

However, when the magistrate informed him that the court would
undoubtedly order the restitution of the jewels, his face brightened
again, and he went down to superintend the removal of Mademoiselle
Marguerite's trunks, which were being loaded on one of the vehicles of
the establishment.

Then the moment of departure came.