"Dare, abbe! dare!" said the duchess.
"I should say that I know the man you want."
"Did I not tell you," said Pompadour, "that the abbe was a precious man?"
"But is he really what we want?" said Polignac.
"Oh, if your eminence had him made on purpose he could not do better," said Brigaud. "A true machine, who will write everything and see nothing."
"But as a still greater precaution," said the prince, "we might put the most important papers into Spanish."
"Then, prince," said Brigaud, "I will send him to you."
"No, no," said Cellamare; "he must not set his foot within the Spanish embassy. It must be done through some third party."
"Yes, yes, we will arrange all that," said the duchess. "The man is found—that is the principal thing. You answer for him, Brigaud?"
"I do, madame."