So early on the morning after her chat with the marquis, while Pierre was still asleep, she got up on tiptoes, took the key of the secretaire from her husband's waistcoat and substituted in its place that of the chest of drawers, which was of the same size.

Then, as soon as her husband had gone out, she shut herself in the room in her turn, emptied the drawer, and read all the letters with feverish curiosity.
Monsieur de Carnavant had not been mistaken, and her own suspicions were confirmed.

There were about forty letters, which enabled her to follow the course of that great Bonapartist movement which was to terminate in the second Empire.

The letters constituted a sort of concise journal, narrating events as they occurred, and drawing hopes and suggestions from each of them.

Eugene was full of faith.