"I still should know you," answered Frances.
"Not I!" exclaimed Bettina.
Presently Lilly came in, and I presented him to Monsieur l'Abbé du Boise and explained the presence of Frances and Bettina by saying:—
"A friend of ours in France has asked Mistress Jennings to render what aid she can to Monsieur l'Abbé, and she is here at my request to receive his commands."
"It is good!" exclaimed Lilly. "She has the king's ear if any one has, and the ear is very close to the mind. What may I do to serve Monsieur l'Abbé?"
"If I may see you privately—-the baron and me—I shall tell you how you may serve me," answered the Abbé.
The Abbé and I excused ourselves to Frances and Bettina, and went with the Doctor to the room which he called his observatory, where we came to the point very quickly:—
"I want to buy Dunkirk for my master for the sum of one hundred thousand pounds," said the Abbé, by way of starting the consultation.
"But London has already offered that sum," returned Lilly, "and stands ready to pay more."
"In payments," suggested the Abbé.