"Thank you, madame," said Dagobert, starting from his painful lethargy, "it is of no consequence, but I have not time to think of it.I am sorry to have been so rough in your presence, and to have driven away that wretch; but 'tis more than I could master.At sight of those people, my blood is all up."
"And yet, believe me, you have been too hasty in your judgment.The person who was just now here--"
"Too hasty, madame! I do not see him to-day for the first time.He was with that renegade the Abbe d'Aigrigny--"
"No doubt!--and yet he is an honest and excellent man."
"He!" cried Dagobert.
"Yes; for at this moment he is busy about only one thing restoring to you those dear children!"
"He!" repeated Dagobert, as if he could not believe what he heard."He restore me my children?"
"Yes; and sooner, perhaps, than you think for."
"Madame," said Dagobert, abruptly, "he deceives you.You are the dupe of that old rascal."
"No," said Adrienne, shaking her head, with a smile."I have proofs of his good faith.First of all, it is he who delivers me from this house."
"Is it true?" said Dagobert, quite confounded.
"Very true; and here is, perhaps, something that will reconcile you to him," said Adrienne, as she delivered the small parcel which Rodin had given her as he went out."Not wishing to exasperate you by his presence, he said to me: `Give this to that brave soldier; it is my revenge.'"