At the foot of the staircase, as the viscountess was about to pass the door of the salon, where there was a great commotion, she met Madame de Tourville dragging the Duc de La Rochefoucauld toward the princess's cabinet, and engaged in an earnest discussion with him on the way.
"One word, madame, I entreat," said she; "what decision has been reached?"
"My plan is adopted!" cried Madame de Tourville, triumphantly.
"What is your plan, madame? I do not know."
"Reprisals, my dear, reprisals!"
"Pardon me, madame, but I am so unfortunate as not to be familiar as you are with warlike terms; what do you mean by the word 'reprisals'?"
"Nothing simpler, dear child."
"Pray explain yourself."
"They hanged an officer in the army of Messieurs les Princes, did they not?"
"Yes; what then?"