"Well, what is new? You've been shadowing him?"
"Yes, Monsieur."
"Anything to report?"
"Nothing much, Monsieur, only in regard to the conduct of the King. It seems that since this morning he has quite changed. Frederick-Christian, instead of keeping himself shut up as of late, now sees his friends again and has resumed his haughty manner and his fault-finding with the servants."
"What friends has he seen?"
"A young attaché of the Embassy arrived immediately after luncheon, and the director of his bank."
"And these men found nothing unusual?"
"No, chief, nothing at all."
M. Annion turned to Marie Pascal.
"You see, Mademoiselle, that is conclusive, isn't it? What probably happened was that the King had a fit of nerves, due to the death of his mistress, and then his return to his normal life misled you...."