“Leaving?”
“Yes, monsieur, and at this moment I am going to call a fiacre to remove my things to a room I have taken in the Rue Jussac close to here.”
He accompanied her into the street.
“And why are you leaving?” asked Lavenne. “Have you quarrelled with your mistress?”
“No, monsieur, she quarrelled with me.”
“Well, well,” said Lavenne, “these things will happen. I called to ask, did you know of the whereabouts of M. de Rochefort?”
“No, monsieur, I do not, and strangely enough, it was concerning M. de Rochefort that my quarrel arose with Mademoiselle Fontrailles.”
“Aha! that is strange. Tell me about it.”
“It was this way, monsieur. That night when M. de Rochefort had the dispute with M. de Choiseul, he took shelter here. He came to see Mademoiselle Fontrailles, she was not here, he asked for shelter and I gave it to him. He slept in my room, whilst I took the room of my mistress. Well, it appeared that the concierge talked, and yesterday Mademoiselle Fontrailles asked me what I meant by harbouring a man here for the night. I was furious; before I could reply two gentlemen were announced, M. Dubarry and Count Camus.
“Count Camus was the man who insulted me that night when M. de Rochefort rescued me, and when the gentlemen were gone I said to Mademoiselle, ‘I would sooner harbour a gentleman here for the night than allow a ruffian to kiss my hand.’