That, at least, is what I hear from my poor friend Tantaine." "He has explained my case exactly." "Good; only before proceeding to the future, let us speak of the past." Paul gave a start, which Mascarin noticed, for he added,-- "You will excuse the freedom I am taking; but it is absolutely necessary that I should know to what I am binding myself.

Tantaine tells me that you are a charming young man, strictly honest, and well educated; and now that I have had the pleasure of meeting you, I am sure that he is right; but I can only deal with proofs, and must be quite certain before I act on your behalf with third parties." "I have nothing to conceal, sir, and am ready to answer any questions," responded Paul.
A slight smile, which Paul did not detect, played round the corners of Mascarin's mouth, and, with a gesture, with which all who knew him were familiar, he pushed back his glasses on his nose.
"I thank you," answered he; "it is not so easy as you may suppose to hide anything from me." He took one of the packets of pasteboard slips form his desk, and shuffling them like a pack of cards, continued, "Your name is Marie Paul Violaine.

You were born at Poitiers, in the Rue des Vignes, on the 5th of January, 1843, and are therefore in your twenty-fourth year." "That is quite correct, sir." "You are an illegitimate child ?" The first question had surprised Paul; the second absolutely astounded him.
"Quite true, sir," replied he, not attempting to hide his surprise; "but I had no idea that M.Tantaine was so well informed; the partition which divided our rooms must have been thinner than I thought." Mascarin took no notice of this remark, but continued to shuffle and examine his pieces of cardboard.

Had Paul caught a clear glimpse of these, he would have seen his initials in the corner of each.
"Your mother," went on Mascarin, "kept, for the last fifteen years of her life, a little haberdasher's shop." "Just so." "But a business of that description in a town like Poitiers, does not bring in very remunerative results, and luckily she received for your support and education a sum of one thousand francs per year." This time Paul started from his seat, for he was sure that Tantaine could not have learned this secret at the Hotel de Perou.
"Merciful powers, sir!" cried he; "who could have told you a thing that has never passed my lips since my arrival in Paris, and of which even Rose is entirely ignorant ?" Mascarin raised his shoulders.
"You can easily comprehend," remarked he, "that a man in my line of business has to learn many things.

If I did not take the greatest precautions, I should be deceived daily, and so lead others into error." Paul had not been more than an hour in the office, but the directions given to Beaumarchef had already taught him how many of these events were arranged.
"Though I may be curious," went on Mascarin, "I am the symbol of discretion; so answer me frankly: How did your mother receive this annuity ?" "Through a Parisian solicitor." "Do you know him ?" "Not at all," answered Paul, who had begun to grow uneasy under this questioning, for a kind of vague apprehension was aroused in his mind, and he could not see the utility of any of these interrogations.