“Doctor! Doctor!” said the king, “take care!”
But he, without noticing the king, lowered his hand a third time, and touching the top of the countess’s head with the palm of that hand:—
“Speak!” said he; “it is my will.”
Andrée, on feeling the touch of that hand, heaved a sigh, her arms fell motionless to her side, her head, which had been thrown backwards, fell forward upon her breast, and a copious flood of tears oozed through her closed eyelids.
“My God! my God! my God!” faltered she.
“Invoke the Lord,—be it so; he who operates in the name of God does not fear God.”
“Oh!” said the countess, “how I hate you!”
“Abhor me, if you will, but speak!”
“Sire, Sire,” exclaimed Andrée, “tell him that he consumes me, that he devours me, that he kills me!”
“Speak!” said Gilbert.
Then he made a sign to the king that he might interrogate her.
“So that, Countess,” said the king, again taking her hand, “he whom you wished to arrest, and whom you caused to be arrested, was really the doctor himself?”
“Yes.”
“And there was no mistake, no misunderstanding?”
“None.”
“And the casket?” said the king.
“Well,” articulated the countess slowly, “could I allow that casket to remain in his possession?”
Gilbert and the king exchanged glances.
“And did you take it from him?” said Louis XVI.
“I had it taken from him.”
“Oh! oh! tell me how that was managed, Countess,” said the king, forgetful of all ceremony, and kneeling down before Andrée. “You had it taken?”
“Yes.”
“When, and by what means?”
“I ascertained that this Gilbert, who during sixteen years has already made two voyages to France, was about to make a third one, and this last time with the intention of remaining here.”
“But the casket?” asked the king.
“I ascertained by means of the lieutenant of police, Monsieur de Crosne, that during one of his journeys he had bought some lands in the neighborhood of Villers-Cotterets, that the farmer who tenanted his lands enjoyed his whole confidence; I suspected that the casket might be left at his residence.”
“What made you think so?”
“I went to see Mesmer. I made him put me to sleep, and I saw the casket while in that state.”
“It was—”
“In a large linen wardrobe on the ground-floor, hidden under some linen.”
“This is wonderful!” said the king. “After that tell me what took place.”
“I returned to the house of Monsieur de Crosne, who having been recommended to do so by the queen, gave me one of his most skilful agents.”
“What was the name of this agent” asked Gilbert.
Andrée shuddered as if a hot iron had touched her.
“I ask you his name?” repeated Gilbert.
Andrée endeavored to resist.
“His name; I will know it!” said the doctor.
“Wolfsfoot,” she replied.
“After that?” asked the king.
“Well, then, yesterday morning this man got possession of the casket. That is all.”
“No, it is not all,” said Gilbert. “You must now tell the king where the casket is at this moment.”
“Oh,” said Louis XVI., “you ask too much of her.”
“No, Sire.”
“But by this Wolfsfoot, by means of Monsieur de Crosne, one might ascertain—”
“Oh, we shall know everything quicker, and much better, through the Countess!”
Andrée, by a convulsive movement, the object of which was doubtless to prevent the words from escaping her lips, clinched her teeth with such violence as almost to break them.
The king pointed out this nervous convulsion to the doctor.
Gilbert smiled.
He touched with his thumb and forefinger the lower part of the face of Andrée, whose muscles were relaxed at the same moment.
“In the first place, Countess, tell the king clearly that this casket belonged to Doctor Gilbert.”
“Yes, yes, it belongs to him,” said the sleeping woman, angrily.
“And where is it at this moment?” asked Gilbert. “Make haste! the king has not time to wait.”
Andrée hesitated for a moment.
“At Wolfsfoot’s house,” said she.
Gilbert observed the hesitation, although it was scarcely perceptible.
“You are telling a falsehood!” said he, “or rather, you are endeavoring to tell one. Where is the casket I insist on knowing.”