The commandant reflected a moment, then, taking a visiting card bearing his address from his pocket, he added these words in pencil: "requests the honour of a visit from M. Louis Richard to-morrow morning between nine and ten, as he has a very important communication which will brook no delay, to make to him."
"Here are forty sous for you, my friend," said M. de la Miraudière to the porter, "and I want you to give this card to M. Louis Richard."
"That is a very easy way to earn forty sous."
"But you are not to give the card to him until to-morrow morning as he goes out, and his father is not to know anything about it. Do you understand?"
"Perfectly, monsieur, and there will be no difficulty about it as M. Louis goes out every morning at seven o'clock, while his father never leaves before nine."
"I can rely upon you, then?"
"Oh, yes, monsieur, you can regard the errand as done."
Commandant de la Miraudière reëntered his carriage and drove away.
Soon after his departure a postman brought a letter for Louis Richard. It was the letter written that same morning in Mariette's presence by the scrivener, who had addressed it to No. 17 Rue de Grenelle, Paris, instead of to Dreux as the young girl had requested.
We will now usher the reader into the room occupied by the scrivener, Richard, and his son, who had just returned from Dreux.