ch is next
door to the convent. That is how we have met."

"But the medal--the medal?" said Dagobert, impatiently; "where did you
see it?"

"It is with regard to this and other things that I wished to make
important communications to Mdlle. de Cardoville."

"And what are these communications?"

"The fact is, father, I had gone to her the day of your departure, to
beg her to get me bail. I was followed; and when she learned this from
her waiting-woman, she concealed me in a hiding-place. It was a sort of
little vaulted room, in which no light was admitted, except through a
tunnel, made like a chimney; yet in a few minutes, I could see pretty
clearly. Having nothing better to do, I looked all about me and saw that
the walls were covered with wainscoting. The entrance to this room
was composed of a sliding panel, moving by means of weights and wheels
admirably contrived. As these concern my trade, I was interested in
them, so I examined the springs, spite of my emotion, with curiosity,
and understood the nature of their play; but there was one brass knob,
of which I could not discover the use. It was in vain to pull and move
it from right to left, none of the springs were touched. I said
to myself: 'This knob, no doubt, belongs to another piece of
mechanism'--and the idea occurred to me, instead of drawing it towards
me, to push it with force. Directly after, I heard a grating sound,
and perceived, just above the entrance to the hiding-place, one of the
panels, about two feet square, fly open like the door of a secretary. As
I had, no doubt, pushed the spring rather too hard, a bronze medal and
chain fell out with a shock."

"And you saw the address--Rue Saint-Francois?" cried Dagobert.

"Yes, father; and with this medal, a sealed letter fell to the ground.
On picking it up, I saw that it was addressed, in large letters: 'For
Mdlle. de Cardoville. To be opened by her the moment it is delivered.'
Under these words, I saw the initials 'R.' and 'C.,' accompanied by a
flourish, and this date: 'Paris, November the 13th, 1830.' On the other
side of the envelope I perceived two seals, with the letters 'R.' and
'C.,' surmounted by a coronet."

"And the seals were unbroken?" asked Mother Bunch.

"Perfectly whole."

"No doubt, then, Mdlle. de Cardoville was ignorant of the existence of
these papers," said the sempstress.

"That was my first idea, since she was recommended to open the letter
immediately, and, notwithstan