hours, you have obliged me to listen to so many new and extravagant
things, that a little amaze is very permissible."

"I beg your highness's pardon, but you are very much embarrassed," said
Adrienne, looking fixedly at her aunt, "and M. d'Aigrigny also--which
confirms certain suspicions that I have not had the time to clear up.
Have I then guessed rightly?" she added, after a pause. "We will see--"

"Madame, I command you to be silent," cried the princess, no longer
mistress of herself.

"Oh, madame!" said Adrienne, "for a person who has in general so much
command of her feelings, you compromise yourself strangely."

Providence (as some will have it) came to the aid of the princess and
the Abbe d'Aigrigny at this critical juncture. A valet entered the
room; his countenance bore such marks of fright and agitation, that the
princess exclaimed as soon as she saw him: "Why, Dubois! what is the
matter?"

"I have to beg pardon, your highness, for interrupting you against
your express orders, but a police inspector demands to speak with you
instantly. He is below stairs, and the yard is full of policemen and
soldiers."

Notwithstanding the profound surprise which this new incident occasioned
her, the princess, determining to profit by the opportunity thus
afforded, to concert prompt measures with D'Aigrigny on the subject of
Adrienne's threatened revelations, rose, and said to the abbe: "Will you
be so obliging as to accompany me, M. d'Aigrigny, for I do not know what
the presence of this commissary of police may signify."

D'Aigrigny followed the speaker into the next room.

CHAPTER XLI. TREACHERY.

The Princess de Saint-Dizier, accompanied by D'Aigrigny, and followed
by the servants, stopped short in the next room to that in which had
remained Adrienne, Tripeaud and the doctor.

"Where is the commissary?" asked the princess of the servant, who had
just before announced to her the arrival of that magistrate.

"In the blue saloon, madame."

"My compliments, and beg him to wait for me a few moments."

The man bowed and withdrew. As soon as he was gone Madame de Saint
Dizier approached hastily M. d'Aigrigny, whose countenance, usually firm
and haughty, was now pale and agitated.

"You see," cried the princess in a hurried voice, "Adrienne knows all.
What shall we do?--what?"

"I cannot tell," said the abbe, with a fixed and absent look. "This
disclosure is a terrible blow to us."

"Is all, then, lost?"