said Monsieur Joseph, with that air of happy curiosity
which had often, in earlier years, misled his enemies to their undoing.

Ratoneau stared at him, muttered an oath, and stammered out: "Not
content with plotting against His Majesty's government--why you--you,
monsieur--are aiding and abetting that nephew of yours in this
scandalous affair of his marriage. Sapristi! you look as innocent as a
new-born child! You laugh, monsieur! Do you suppose the Emperor will not
learn the truth about this marriage? Yes, I can tell you, you will
bitterly repent this night's work--Monsieur de Sainfoy and all of you.
And to begin with, that accursed nephew of yours will spend his
honeymoon in prison. I have not yet seen my way through the ins and outs
of the affair--I do not know how Monsieur de Sainfoy heard of the
Emperor's intention--but at least I can have my revenge on your nephew
and I will--I will!"

"Ah!" Monsieur Joseph laughed slightly. "I would not be too sure,
monsieur. You can prove nothing against Ange. His father, let me tell
you, has set him right with the Emperor. He is in no danger at all,
unless from your personal malice. The prize you intended to have has
been given to him. It is no doing of his family. I do not believe the
Emperor will punish him or them. And--unless he values your services
more highly than I should think probable, I fancy he will see excuses
for Monsieur de Sainfoy!"

"No doing of his family! The intrigue has been going on for weeks,"
cried Ratoneau. "When have I not seen that odious boy pushing himself at
Lancilly? Detestable little hound! as insolent as yourself, and far more
of a fool. I have always hated him--always--since the day I first saw
him in your house, the day when we met a herd of cattle in the lane, and
he dared to laugh at my horse's misbehaviour. Little scum of the earth!
if I had him under my heel--What are we losing time for? What do you
want to say to me? It is my duty to arrest you, and to search your house
for conspirators and arms, in the name of the Emperor."

"Yes; I know all that," said Monsieur Joseph, gently, with his head a
little on one side.

He was wondering, as he wondered on first acquaintance with this man,
for how long he would be able to refrain from striking him in the face.
He was afraid that it would not, at this juncture, be a wise thing to
do. The two girls in the house were much on his mind; perhaps a
presentiment of something of this sort had made