The young girl stammered: "I wanted to see you ... pardon ... to see your Majesty ... to tell him how grateful I am for the laces he ordered from me ... that your Majesty ordered."
Fandor began to be amused at the embarrassment of the young girl, so to set her at ease he remarked:
"Mademoiselle, just talk to me as you would to anyone else, and as for the laces, I shall be very glad to order others."
A start of surprise from Marie Pascal gave Fandor the uneasy feeling that he had made a break.
"Then, your Majesty, I suppose I must send the next lot to the Queen."
"Of course."
"How about the bill?"
Fandor repressed a smile. Evidently these poor Kings must have one hand in their pockets. As the interview continued the young girl regained her confidence, and going close to Fandor, spoke in a tone of sincere anxiety:
"Sire, it was not you ... oh, forgive me." And then in a lower tone: "I have denounced you, Sire."
Then, dropping to her knees, Marie Pascal repeated all that had happened. Fandor now realized that the death of Susy d'Orsel had a witness and that a detective was now in possession of the facts.