."

Madame d'Arlange laid down her knitting and proceeded to examine the
earring. "It is true," she said, after a moment, "that this ornament
formerly belonged to me. It was a fancy I had, about four years ago, and
it cost me dear--at least twenty thousand francs. Ah! Doisty, the man
who sold me those diamonds, must make a handsome income. But I had a
granddaughter to educate and pressing need of money compelled me to sell
them."

"To whom?" asked Lecoq, eagerly.

"Eh?" exclaimed the old lady, evidently shocked at his audacity, "you
are very inquisitive upon my word!"

"Excuse me, madame, but I am anxious to find the owner of this valuable
ornament."

Madame d'Arlange regarded her visitor with an air of mingled curiosity
and surprise. "Such honesty!" said she. "Oh, oh! And of course you don't
hope for a sou by way of reward--"

"Madame!"

"Good, good! There is not the least need for you to turn as red as a
poppy, young man. I sold these diamonds to a great Austrian lady--the
Baroness de Watchau."

"And where does this lady reside?"

"At the Pere la Chaise, probably, since she died about a year ago. Ah!
these women of the present day--an extra waltz, or the merest draft, and
it's all over with them! In my time, after each gallop, we girls used
to swallow a tumbler of sweetened wine, and sit down between two open
doors. And we did very well, as you see."

"But, madame," insisted Lecoq, "the Baroness de Watchau must have left
some one behind her--a husband, or children--"

"No one but a brother, who holds a court position at Vienna: and who
could not leave even to attend the funeral. He sent orders that all
his sister's personal property should be sold--not even excepting her
wardrobe--and the money sent to him."

Lecoq could not repress an exclamation of disappointment. "How
unfortunate!" he murmured.

"Why?" asked the old lady. "Under these circumstances, the diamond will
probably remain in your hands, and I am rejoiced that it should be so.
It will be a fitting reward for your honesty."

Madame d'Arlange was naturally not aware that her remark implied the
most exquisite torture for Lecoq. Ah! if it should be as she said, if
he should never find the lady who had lost this costly jewel! Smarting
under the marchioness's unintended irony, he would have liked to
apostrophize her in angry terms; but it could not be, for it was
advisable if not absolutely necessary that he should conceal his true
identity.