"Your handwriting is so precious to me, dear lady, that I thought I could not pay too high a price for a letter of yours."
"And you revealed such a secret to the possible indiscretion of one of your servants! Oh! Monsieur le Duc!"
"Such confidences, madame, a man should receive in person, and I so received this one. I, myself, was waiting in the boat on the Dordogne."
"Then you have my letter?"
"Here it is."
Nanon made a superhuman effort to remember the exact contents of the letter, but it was impossible; her brain was beginning to be confused. She had no alternative, therefore, but to take her own letter and read it. It contained barely three lines; Nanon ran her eye over them in eager haste, and saw, with unspeakable delight, that the letter did not compromise her beyond all hope.
"Read it aloud," said the duke; "like you, I have forgotten what the letter contains."
Nanon found the smile she had sought in vain a few seconds before, and complied with the duke's suggestion.
"'I shall take supper at eight o'clock. Are you free? I am. If so, be punctual, my dear Canolles, and have no fear for our secret.'"