"Madame," said De Mouy, bowing, "kindly excuse me from answering, and do me the favor to accept my homage."
De Mouy, respectful but firm, started towards the door.
Marguerite stopped him.
"But, monsieur," said she, "if I were to ask you for a word of explanation, my word is good, it seems to me?"
"Madame," replied De Mouy, "I am obliged to keep silent, and this duty must be very imperative for me not to have answered your majesty."
"But, monsieur"—
"Your majesty may ruin me, madame, but you cannot ask me to betray my new friends."
"But the old ones, monsieur, have they too not some rights?"
"Those who have remained true, yes; those who not only have abandoned us, but themselves as well, no."
Marguerite, thoughtful and anxious, would no doubt have answered by a new question, had not Gillonne suddenly entered the apartment.