"You talk at random, child, and your ears deceived you if you attribute such intentions to Leroux."
"In any event, ma tante, will you send a runner over to M. de Puisaye and let him know what has occurred?"
"What has occurred?" queried Madame, with a slight lift of her eyebrow in token of contemptuous surprise. "What—in your estimation—has occurred, my dear Fernande, that would justify my upsetting M. de Puisaye at this hour?"
"Will you let M. de Puisaye know that M. de Maurel will be at the factory to-night?"
"Why should I? In what way do you suppose that M. de Maurel's comings and goings can possibly affect the business of His Majesty the King, or the plans which his faithful adherents have formed for the triumph of his cause?"
"Ma tante," protested Fernande, with all the fervour and all the strength at her command, "you know quite well what I mean. M. de Puisaye must be told that if M. de Maurel goes to the factory to-night, Leroux has it in him to commit a dastardly murder."
"M. de Puisaye cannot obviously prevent M. de Maurel from going to his own factory to-night."
"No. But he can prevent the dastardly deed from being accomplished."
"It is not for me to try and influence the actions of our chiefs."
"It is for every woman—every human being who has a spark of loyalty and Christianity in them—to try and prevent murder being done."