d the princess; "but tell me, is my
niece coming? Pending the conference at which she is to be present, you
will conduct into her house a person who will soon be here, to inquire
for you by my desire."

"Well, madame?"

"This man will make an exact inventory of everything contained in
Adrienne's residence. You will take care that nothing is omitted; for
that is of very great importance."

"Yes, madame. But should Georgette or Hebe make any opposition?"

"There is no fear; the man charged with taking the inventory is of such
a stamp, that when they know him, they will not dare to oppose either
his making the inventory, or his other steps. It will be necessary
not to fail, as you go along with him, to be careful to obtain certain
peculiarities destined to confirm the reports which you have spread for
some time past."

"Do not have the slightest doubt, madame. The reports have all the
consistency of truth."

"Very soon, then, this Adrienne, so insolent and so haughty, will be
crushed and compelled to pray for pardon; and from me!"

An old footman opened both of the folding doors, and announced the
Marquis-Abbe d'Aigrigny.

"If Miss de Cardoville present herself," said the princess to Mrs.
Grivois, "you will request her to wait an instant."

"Yes, madame," said the duenna, going out with the servant.

Madame de Saint-Dizier and D'Aigrigny remained alone.

CHAPTER XXXVII. THE PLOT.

The Abbe-Marquis d'Aigrigny, as the reader has easily divined, was
the person already seen in the Rue du Milieu-des-Ursins; whence he had
departed from Rome, in which city he had remained about three months.
The marquis was dressed in deep mourning, but with his usual elegance.
His was not a priestly robe; his black coat, and his waistcoat, tightly
gathered in at the waist, set off to great advantage the elegance of
his figure: his black cassimere pantaloons disguised his feet, exactly
fitted with lace boots, brilliantly polished. And all traces of his
tonsure disappeared in the midst of the slight baldness which whitened
slightly the back part of his head. There was nothing in his entire
costume, or aspect, that revealed the priest, except, perhaps,
the entire absence of beard, the more remarkable upon so manly a
countenance. His chin, newly shaved, rested on a large and elevated
black cravat, tied with a military ostentation which reminded the
beholder, that this abbe-marquis this celebrated preacher--now one of
the most a