“Yes; and I went, on my side, to take some measures, of which I will speak to you presently.”

“I ran instantly to the house in the Rue de Babylone, not knowing that Mdlle. de Cardoville was mad, or passed for mad.  A servant, who opened the door to me, informed me that the young lady had been seized with a sudden attack of madness.  You may conceive, father, what a blow that was to me!  I asked where she was:  they answered, that they did not know.  I asked if I could speak to any of the family; as my jacket did not inspire any great confidence, they replied that none of her family were at present there.  I was in despair, but an idea occurred to me.  I said to myself:  ’If she is mad, her family physician must know where they have taken her; if she is in a state to hear me, he will take me to her; if not, I will speak to her doctor, as I would to her relations.  A doctor is often a friend.’  I asked the servant, therefore, to give me the doctor’s address.  I obtained it without difficulty—­Dr. Baleinier, No. 12, Rue Taranne.  I ran thither, but he had gone out; they told me that I should find him about five o’clock at his asylum, which is next door to the convent.  That is how we have met.”

“But the medal—­the medal?” said Dagobert, impatiently; “where did you see it?”

“It is with regard to this and other things that I wished to make important communications to Mdlle. de Cardoville.”

“And what are these communications?”

“The fact is, father, I had gone to her the day of your departure, to beg her to get me bail.  I was followed; and when she learned this from her waiting-woman, she concealed me in a hiding-place.  It was a sort of little vaulted room, in which no light was admitted, except through a tunnel, made like a chimney; yet in a few minutes, I could see pretty clearly.  Having nothing better to do, I looked all about me and saw that the walls were covered with wainscoting.  The entrance to this room was composed of a sliding panel, moving by means of weights and wheels admirably contrived.  As these concern my trade, I was interested in them, so I examined the springs, spite of my emotion, with curiosity, and understood the nature of their play; but there was one brass knob, of which I could not discover the use.  It was in vain to pull and move it from right to left, none of the springs were touched.  I said to myself:  ’This knob, no doubt, belongs to another piece of mechanism’—­and the idea occurred to me, instead of drawing it towards me, to push it with force.  Directly after, I heard a grating sound, and perceived, just above the entrance to the hiding-place, one of the panels, about two feet square, fly open like the door of a secretary.  As I had, no doubt, pushed the spring rather too hard, a bronze medal and chain fell out with a shock.”

“And you saw the address—­Rue Saint-Francois?” cried Dagobert.