There
was to be the morning sunlight streaming across the supper-tables, the
faces of all of us aged and haggard. Monsieur Louis here, without doubt,
a very child of the devil! Oh, a very moral picture, Monsieur. It was to
convert us all. Monsieur Albert declared that he would arrange to have
it here on exhibition, and we should all mend our ways. Monsieur knew
perhaps that the young lady was an artist?"
The question was flashed suddenly upon him as though the intention was
to take him by surprise. Duncombe, however, remained unmoved.
"I am here, Madame, to ask, not to answer, questions," he said. "Will
you kindly proceed? I am greatly interested."
Madame put her hand to her throat for a moment as though to loosen her
necklace. She had not the appearance of being greatly in love with her
questioner.
"There came a night," she continued, "when Mademoiselle broke through
her rule. A man came in and sat at her table. His name was the Vicomte
D'Aubarde, and he was known to most of us, though to the young lady he
appeared to be a stranger. They talked earnestly for an hour or more.
When she left--he accompanied her!"
The Englishman had grown paler.
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