"Marguerite Thomasseau."
"Marguerite—are you sure that her name was Marguerite?"
"Yes, madame."
"And—and you—what name did your parents give you?"
"The gentleman who placed me in my nurse's hands—she did not know whether he was my father, but she presumed that he was—told her that my name was Evelina de Paulausky."
Madame de Grangeville moved suddenly on her chair; but instead of approaching Violette, she drew away from her; one would have thought that she was afraid of the girl. The latter waited anxiously to hear what the lady was going to say to her; but several moments, which seemed very long, passed, and not a word fell from the lips of Madame de Grangeville, whose head had fallen on her breast, and who seemed to be absorbed in her reflections.
Violette decided to continue.
"That is not all, madame," she said; "it seems that when he placed me in charge of my nurse, instead of giving her a layette, he gave her some men's clothes, among which there was a handkerchief belonging to my mother.
"Aha! did he say that?"
"Yes, the gentleman said so when he gave it to my nurse; and she always kept it, hoping that it might enable me some day to make myself known to her who brought me into the world."