He bent down and tenderly kissed his daughter.
Renée turned her head up to her father with a look of surprise, as she was quite unaccustomed to receive any tokens of affection from him.
"Villebois, mon cher," said Payot looking at him, "I hear someone knocking loudly at the door of the house."
Villebois immediately went out of the room, and François ran up to him in an excited manner.
"Monsieur le Commissaire de Police with two sergeants have arrived, and demand admittance in the name of the law; what am I to do?"
"Show them immediately into the library, and tell them I will be with them in a moment."
When Villebois entered the library a little gentleman, faultlessly attired in black, with a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles, walked up to meet him.
"I have the honour to address Monsieur le Docteur Villebois, I presume?" said the little man as he presented his card.
Villebois took the proffered card which bore the inscription:—
ADOLPHE BIRON,
COMMISSAIRE DE POLICE.