Suddenly he turned. The Ambassador had begun to question Dufrenne. "What did this Dr. Hartmann do, when the box was given to him?" he asked in a voice trembling with excitement.
"He pressed the large pearl, pushed aside the cross, and removed the paper that was hidden beneath it. He read the paper. It contained nothing but a row of numbers. I saw it as he held it beneath the light."
De Grissac became as white as chalk, and turning to Lefevre, cried out, in a broken voice, "It is all over. Nothing can be done now. It is too late. Mon Dieu! What will become of France?"
"Where is Duvall?" cried the Prefect, suddenly. "I must see him. He is not the man to do such a thing as this. I must talk to him. Do not tell me that he has run away."
"No, monsieur. He is outside, he and his wife. I have placed them both under arrest."
"Were they attempting to escape?"
"No, monsieur. They were coming to Paris."
"At least," the Prefect remarked, mournfully, "he is not cowardly enough for that. Bring him here—bring them both here at once. I must question them."
Dufrenne turned to the door. "In a moment, monsieur, they will be before you."
"What can it avail now?" said De Grissac, sadly.