'Josephine, what madness!'
'I am a woman, Stephen, and a woman has resources. Ah! see what I have done.'
Then she related with infinite zest her interview with Berthier. She concluded her account with the jubilant remark, 'To think that I have utterly deceived him! Superb! The way in which I have twisted him round my little finger! Majestic!'
'But what do you mean, Josephine?' asked Stephen, much perplexed.
'What do I mean?' echoed madame, raising her eyes and hands. 'Oh these men! Well, I will tell you what I mean. I wish I had a hammer to knock it into your head. I have utterly deceived M. Berthier. He confides in me, he believes that he has secured my services. He has given me money, and promised me more, to persuade Gabrielle to cast herself into his arms. Trusting that I am busy undermining the girl's resolution and morals, he will abstain from attempting violence for one month and one day. At the end of that time, trust me, I shall creep round him again, and, when I have exhausted my resources, then I shall give you the signal to decamp.'
'But, my dear sister, what did you mean by telling Berthier that Gabrielle was at Versailles with Lindet?'
'Mon Dieu! it came into my head. It seemed so probable. It entirely deceived the Intendant.'
'And you received money from M. Berthier!'
'If I had not done so, he would have mistrusted me. Now that I have taken his gold, he believes implicitly in me.'
'I do not like this,' said the colporteur; 'my dear sister, you have not acted rightly; you have told falsehoods, and——'