“Yes,” answered the lawyer, “and the Duke has placed the conduct of the search in my hands.”
“Have you formed any plan of action?”
“Not at present. The Duke said, ‘Ask every living soul in the world, if you can succeed in no other way’; this is all the instruction he has given me; and,” added he, with a slight shrug of his shoulders, “I am almost of Perpignan’s opinion, that the search will be a fruitless one.”
“Lecoq did not think so.”
“He only said that he believed he should succeed if he were to take it in hand.”
“Well,” answered Mascarin coldly, “I have been certain of success from the very commencement.”
“Have you been to Vendome?” asked Catenac.
“Never mind, I have been somewhere, and at this very moment could place my hand upon the shoulder of the heir to the dukedom of Champdoce.”
“Are you in earnest?”
“I was never more in earnest in my life. I have found him; only as it is impossible for me to appear in the matter, I shall delegate to you and Perpignan the happiness of restoring the lost son to his father’s arms.”