"And in Ronnay de Maurel you will have a valuable adjunct," added the Minister, "unless...."
He paused, then continued with seeming irrelevance:
"Is Fernande de Courson pretty?"
"She has a reputation for beauty," replied Dubois. "Why do you ask?"
"Nothing ... nothing ... a passing thought ... a dart shot at random.... You will have to keep your eyes very wide open, my good M. Dubois."
"You may trust me to do that, M. le Ministre," rejoined Dubois, with a leer of comprehension; there was no subtlety about the suggestion, and he had understood it well enough this time.
"There's not much of the lady-killer about Ronnay de Maurel," he added, laughing.
"Perhaps not," rejoined Fouché dryly.
"And he may rejoin the army, after all."