veck's soon?"

"I think of calling on the baron this evening."

Talk continued, commonplace, desultory. What questions crowded to his
lips, sternly repressed!

"She lies," thought he, while listening to the details of her family
visit. "She certainly lies!... I must pretend to be her dupe--the
miserable creature!"

His whole soul revolted at the thought that this Bobinette, involved
as she must be in disgraceful adventures, abominable tragedies, shared
Wilhelmine's home, was her so-called friend! He was seized by a mad
desire to grip Bobinette by the throat--silence her lying
tongue--arrest, handcuff her on the spot--render her powerless!

He had noticed a vague line of black showing below her light coloured
taffeta skirt. It might be the frill of a petticoat just too long.
Thinking no more of it he continued to chat of indifferent things....
Presently, a quick movement of Bobinette's raised her skirt a little
more. This time the watchful de Loubersac could not be mistaken: he
had seen clearly that what showed beneath Bobinette's skirt, every now
and again, was a priest's cassock!

Bobinette's dress concealed the disguise of a priest.

Too well he understood the part this perverse creature had been
playing! Now he could account for their meeting in this train coming
from Rouen!... She had recently associated with Corporal Vinson as a
priest. She had seen him off, no doubt, and, anxious to rid herself of
her ecclesiastical exterior as quickly as might be, she had slipped on
a dress over her ecclesiastical garment.

What was all this but a painful confirmation of Juve's words?... How
could Wilhelmine be entirely ignorant of this dreadful creature's
character? How could Wilhelmine be wholly innocent of the terribly
compromising actions of her daily companion? Did Wilhelmine lack
intuition? Was she without that delicate sensitiveness which is the
birthright of all nice women? How could a pure girl breathe the
miasmic atmosphere which must emanate from the soul of this abominable
woman?

It was terrible!

The desultory commonplace chat went on, whilst de Loubersac was
considering how best to act.

Arrest Bobinette?

Yes. He must not, dare not, hesitate. It was his duty. If he held this
young woman at his mercy, it was, perhaps, the only way, painful as it
was, to ultimately clear up the position of Wilhelmine.

How proceed?

Whilst still chattering of this and that, Henri de Loubersac made up
his mind.