"So," I said, preparing to return it to him, "you are a
clockmaker?"
"Yes, your excellency," he muttered. And I thought that I caught
the sound of a sigh of relief.
I gave the watch to Maignan to hand to him. "Very well," I said.
"I have need of one. The clock in the next room--a gift from his
Majesty--is out of order, and at a standstill. You can go and
attend to it; and see that you do so skilfully. And do you,
Maignan," I continued with meaning, "go with him. When he has
made the clock go, let him go; and not before, or you answer for
it. You understand, sirrah?"
Maignan saluted obsequiously, and in a moment hurried young
Perrot from the room; leaving me to congratulate myself on the
strange and fortuitous circumstance that had thrown him in my
way, and enabled me to guard against a RENCONTRE that might have
had the most embarassing consequences.
It required no great sagacity to foresee the, next move; and I
was not surprised when, about an hour later, I heard a clatter of
hoofs outside, and a voice inquiring hurriedly for the Marquis de
Rosny.
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