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A man with a military air, tall, handsome and in tightly-buttoned frock-coat, passed and saluted the President of the Council; then, Jouvenet, the Prefect of Police, looking like a notary's senior clerk, his abundant black hair plastered on his head, a large, black portfolio under his arm, approached the minister and bowed. Vaudrey, having Lissac in mind, returned his salutation coldly.
It was Jouvenet, the Prefect of Police, who came to greet her in a very gallant fashion. The prefect he had gained at the palais in former days, the title of L'Avocat Pathelin, with insinuating and wheedling manners, hastened to pay his meed of respect to Marianne when he met her. There was no necessity to stand on ceremony with him. He knew all her secrets.
On the left of Madame Gerson sat a little, broad-backed man, with black hair pasted over his temples, long leg-of-mutton whiskers decorating his bright-colored cheeks, and a keen eye: he was Monsieur Jouvenet, formerly an advocate; to-day Prefect of Police. Senator Crépeau sat further away. He was a fat manufacturer, who talked about alimentary products and politics.
Marianne observed sharply. "I know that your office inclines you to be somewhat inquisitive, but it would be polite of you to allow my past to sleep in your dockets. They are famous shrouds!" Jouvenet bit his lips and in turn brought his glass to bear on Lissac. "See," he said, "he makes a great deal of the cross of the Christ of Portugal! It is in very bad taste! I thought he was a shrewder man!"
Oh! especially to tell Marianne that she had betrayed him, that she was a wretch, that she was the mistress of Rosas, the mistress of Jouvenet, a strumpet like any other strumpet, yes, a strumpet!
This interesting collection is composed of about three hundred paintings, amongst which we remark a Virgin in the midst of Angels, called the Virgin of Saint-Sixte, by Raphael, an admirable copy, if not a second original of the picture known under the same name in the gallery of Dresden; also three small paintings, placed next to each other, and which are incontestably by that great painter and in his best style; the Van Eyck representing the Virgin in the midst of young girls; a mass during the league, a painting which is curious on account of the subject and great personnages which it represents; a Conversion of saint Matthew, by Valentin; a saint Francis in prayer, by Hannibal Carrache; an Ecce Homo and a copy of the Holy family, by Mignard; a death of saint Francis, by Jouvenet; several marines, by Vernet; a descent from the Cross, by Lahire; the plague of Milan, by Lemonnier, of Rouen; and a great many others, which it would require too much room to mention here.
He would merely question Vaudrey. As soon as Jouvenet, always polite, grave and impassive, had left "Monsieur le Ministre" in a state of visible nervousness, almost of anxiety, he entered upon his plan. "You know Mademoiselle Kayser intimately then?" he asked Vaudrey, who, taken aback, looked at him for a moment without replying and endeavored to grasp Lissac's purpose.
"Well, if those reports have not informed you of my arrest in the heart of the Exposition des Mirlitons, on Wednesday, they have told you nothing! "Arrested! you?" "By the agents of Monsieur Jouvenet, your Prefect of Police, to gratify your mistress, Mademoiselle Kayser!" "Ah! my dear Guy!" said the minister, whose cheek became flushed in spots. "I should be glad if you "
He did not close his eyes for the whole night. He was stifled, and grew angry within the narrow cage in which they had locked him. All sorts of wild projects of revenge passed through his brain. He would send his seconds to Monsieur Jouvenet, he would protest in the papers. He would have public opinion in his favor.
Wherefore did this man who could not understand her, interfere, and why did he add to the injuries of old the mockery of to-day? "After all, perhaps it is through jealousy," she thought. "The dolt!" Guy did not cease to look at her through his glass. "Does that displease you?" Jouvenet asked. "Not at all. What is that to me?" "This Lissac was much in love with you!" "Ah! Monsieur le Préfet!"
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