"Undoubtedly," replied Madame de Senneterre.
The different actors in the scene were grouped as follows:
Herminie and Ernestine were seated side by side. On Herminie's right sat Madame and Mlle. de Senneterre, while to the left of Ernestine sat Madame Laîné, who was playing her modest rôle in a very satisfactory fashion.
Standing behind Herminie and Ernestine were Gerald, Olivier, Commander Bernard, and Baron de la Rochaiguë, whose presence astonished Olivier very much, and caused him no little vague uneasiness, though he was still far from suspecting that Ernestine, the little embroideress, and Mlle. de Beaumesnil were one and the same person.
M. de Maillefort had remained at the other end of the room, seated beside the notary, who, taking up one of the documents, said to the hunchback:
"We will begin, if agreeable to you, M. le marquis, with M. le Duc de Senneterre's contract."
"Certainly," replied the hunchback, smiling. "Mlle. Herminie is older than Mlle. Ernestine, so she is entitled to this honour."
Whereupon the notary, bowing slightly to his auditors, was about to begin the reading of Herminie's marriage contract, when M. de le Rochaiguë, assuming one of his most imposing parliamentary attitudes, said, impressively:
"I ask this honourable assembly's permission to make a few remarks prior to the reading of these contracts."