"Where is it?"

"In the hands of a person who will give it to you only under certain
conditions."

"Who is this person?"

"I am not at liberty to tell you."

There was both admiration and jealousy in the look that Martial fixed
upon Marie-Anne.

He was amazed by her coolness and presence of mind. Ah! how powerful
must be the passion that imparted such a ringing clearness to her voice,
such brilliancy to her eyes, such precision to her responses.

"And if I should not accept the--the conditions which are imposed, what
then?" asked M. de Sairmeuse.

"In that case the writing will be utilized."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, sir, that early to-morrow morning a trusty messenger will start
for Paris, charged with the task of submitting this document to the eyes
of certain persons who are not exactly friends of yours. He will show it
to Monsieur Laine, for example--or to the Duc de Richelieu; and he will,
of course, explain to them its significance and its value. Will this
writing prove the complicity of the Marquis de Sairmeuse? Yes, or no?
Have you, or have you not, dared to try and to condemn to death the
unfortunate men who were only the tools of your son?"

"Ah, wretch! hussy! viper!" interrupted the duke. He was beside himself.
A foam gathered upon his lips, his eyes seemed starting from their
sockets; he was no longer conscious of what he was saying.

"This," he exclaimed, with wild gestures, "is enough to appall me! Yes,
I have bitter enemies, envious rivals who would give their right hand
for this execrable letter. Ah! if they obtain it they will demand an
investigation, and then farewell to the rewards due to my services.

"It will be shouted from the house-tops that Chanlouineau, in the
presence of the tribunal, declared you, Marquis, his leader and his
accomplice. You will be obliged to submit to the scrutiny of physicians,
who, seeing a freshly healed wound, will require you to tell where you
received it, and why you concealed it.

"Of what shall I _not_ be accused? They will say that I expedited
matters in order to silence the voice that had been raised against
my son. Perhaps they will even say that I secretly favored the
insurrection; I shall be vilified in the journals.

"And who has thus ruined the fortunes of our house, that promised so
brilliantly? You, you alone, Marquis.

"You believe in nothing, you doubt everything--you are cold, sceptical,
disdainful, _blase_. But a pretty w