“Madame de St. Cyr instructed you—about me?� exclaimed Rosaline in surprise; and there was a touch of hauteur in her manner that Charlot had never encountered before.
“She told me so, when she sent me after you, mademoiselle,� he answered humbly.
Rosaline was roused now; she stood looking at him with a searching glance.
“Why did you come to St. Cyr to-day?� she demanded imperiously.
The hunchback was not adroit, and he felt the peril of the moment too deeply to find ready replies.
“I brought some shoes for madame to try,� he said lamely.
“That is not true, Charlot!� she retorted indignantly; “madame has ordered no shoes, and you know it. You came for something,� she went on, with increasing agitation; “be honest,—was it—did it concern M. d’Aguesseau?�
The shoemaker looked at her with dull eyes, his pinched face unusually brown and haggard.
“Yes, mademoiselle,� he replied with an effort, “it concerned M. d’Aguesseau. M. de Baudri received information that he was a heretic, and he has come to St. Cyr to take him.�
Mademoiselle turned on him the face of an avenging angel.