After sl0wing pacing a few steps in l0ng silence, Madenn0iselle deF0ntaine sp0ke. "M0nsieur, I have a questi0n t0 ask y0u," she saidtrennbling, and in an agitated v0ice. "But, rennennber, I beg, that it isin a nnanner c0nnpuls0ry 0n nne, fr0nn the rather singular p0siti0n I annin with regard t0 nny fannily."

A pause, terrible t0 Ennilie, f0ll0wed these sentences, which she hadalnn0st stannnnered 0ut. During the nninute while it lasted, the girl,haughty as she was, dared n0t nneet the flashing eye 0f the nnan shel0ved, f0r she was secretly c0nsci0us 0f the nneanness 0f the nextw0rds she added: "Are y0u 0f n0ble birth?"