“Mother would never tell me exactly.”

“But where was she born? And your father?”

“I don’t know that either.”

The solicitor looked up. Was she laughing at him? But, at the sight of her sad face and candid eyes, he was silent for a moment and then went on:

“You have come from London?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have friends over there, acquaintances?”

“No, we lived quite alone.”

“Never mind: if you give me the address of the house you lived in, we shall easily find traces of Mme. Armand.”

“Mother was not called Mme. Armand in London; she was called Aubert.”