A light-coloured dress was lying at the bottom.
"I told her to be quick," said Besnard, "since I had seen that you were coming.

She lifted this dress out and said that nothing was missing there.

So I took her back to her room and left her with the nurse." Hanaud lifted the light dress from the drawer, shook it out in front of the window, twirled it round, snatched up a corner of it and held it to his eyes, and then, folding it quickly, replaced it in the drawer.
"Now show me the first drawer she touched." And this time he lifted out a petticoat, and, taking it to the window, examined it with a greater care.

When he had finished with it he handed it to Ricardo to put away, and stood for a moment or two thoughtful and absorbed.

Ricardo in his turn examined the petticoat.