f Lancilly, he thought with some
amusement and satisfaction of that morning's diplomacy. He had not the
smallest intention of taking his dear and pretty Anne into his
confidence. The little plot, which Adelaide and he had hatched so
cleverly, must remain between them and the General.

This power of suggesting was a wonderful thing, truly. A word had been
enough to set the whole machinery going. If he rightly understood that
_Tout va bien_, it meant that the Prefect was ready at once to do his
part. That seemed a little strange; but after all, De Mauves would not
have reached his present position without some cleverness to help him,
and no doubt he saw, as Urbain did, the excellence of this arrangement
for everybody all round. Herve de Sainfoy was really foolish; his own
enemy: Urbain and Adelaide were his friends; they knew how to make use
of the mammon of unrighteousness. The advantages of such a connection
with the Empire were really uncountable. Urbain was quite sure that he
was justified in plotting against Herve for his good. Did he not love
him like a brother? Would he not have given him the last penny in his
purse, the last crust if they were starving? And as for misleading Anne
a little, that too seemed right to his conscience. It was only a case of
economising truth, after all. In the end, the Ratoneau connection would
be useful in saving Joseph and his friends, no doubt, from some of the
consequences of their foolishness.

It was with the serenity of success and conscious virtue, deepened and
brightened by the joy of pleasing the beautiful Adelaide, that Urbain,
finding her alone, put the General's letter into her hand.

There was an almost vulture look in the fair face as she stooped over
it.

"Ah--and what does this mean?"

"It means," Urbain said, "that General Ratoneau has seen the Prefect,
and that that excellent man is ready to oblige him--and you, madame."

"Me?" Adelaide looked up sharply, with a sudden flush. "I hope you gave
no message from me."

"How could I? you sent none. I am to be trusted, I assure you. I simply
hinted that if the affair could be managed from outside, you would not
be too much displeased."

"Nor would you," she said.

"No--no, I should not." He spoke rather slowly, stroking his face,
looking at her thoughtfully. This pale passion of eagerness was not
becoming, somehow, to his admired Adelaide.

"Nor would you," she repeated. "Come, Urbain, be frank. You know it is
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