'"
"Ah! I recognize you both," said Madame Mignon in a voice of strong
emotion.
"I'll wager my salvation that Modeste is as pure as she was in her
cradle," exclaimed Madame Dumay.
"Well, I shall make certain of it," replied her husband, "if Madame la
Comtesse will allow me to employ certain means; for old troopers
understand strategy."
"I will allow you to do anything that shall enlighten us, provided it
does no injury to my last child."
"What are you going to do, Jean?" asked Madame Dumay; "how can you
discover a young girl's secret if she means to hide it?"
"Obey me, all!" cried the lieutenant, "I shall need every one of you."
If this rapid sketch were clearly developed it would give a whole
picture of manners and customs in which many a family could recognize
the events of their own history; but it must suffice as it is to
explain the importance of the few details heretofore given about
persons and things on the memorable evening when the old soldier had
made ready his plot against the young girl, intending to wrench from
the recesses of her heart the secret of a love and a lover seen only
by a blind mother.
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