"Sapristi! I need no 'elp for dat. Don' worry, mon ami. I s'all be 'appy——"
"Not with Monsieur——"
She laughed rather harshly.
"Oh, la la! You are not de on'y man in de worl'——"
And then, as she saw the look of pain in his eyes, she caught him by the arm again. "You are de on'y man in de worl'—for 'er—mon vieux, but not for me. You t'ink of me? Eh bien. What you say? Forget it. I s'all be 'appy—and free."
At this moment Monsieur Simon entered bringing no less a personage than Monsieur de Vautrin, who had been apprehended as a witness the moment he had returned to Paris. And the details of the affair at Nice having been set down, Monsieur Simon went out to question Tricot, who had just been brought in under heavy guard.
The birth certificate and other papers were still in possession of the Juge d'Instruction, but the Duc had been permitted to examine them and questioned Horton and Piquette eagerly as to what had happened after his departure from Nice. And when he learned the facts, his gratitude expressed itself in a desire to kiss Horton on both cheeks, which Piquette only frustrated by quickly interposing her small person.
"And I, Olivier?" she asked in French with a spirit of diablerie. "What is my reward for helping in the great affair?"
"You, Piquette!" he laughed, "you are as ever my angelic child who can do no wrong. Come to my arms."
But Piquette laughed and tossed her chin.