It was Madame Cournal. She was most pale, and there was a peculiar wildness in her eyes.
“You have deposed Francois Bigot,” she said.
“Stand back, madame; I have business with this fellow,” said Doltaire, waving his hand.
“My business comes first,” she replied. “You—you dare to depose Francois Bigot!”
“It needs no daring,” he said nonchalantly.
“You shall put him back in his place.”
“Come to me to-morrow morning, dear madame.”
“I tell you he must be put back, Monsieur Doltaire.”
“Once you called me Tinoir,” he said meaningly.
Without a word she caught from her cloak a dagger and struck him in the breast, though he threw up his hand and partly diverted the blow. Without a cry he half swung round, and sank, face forward, against the couch where Alixe lay.