"Pardon, Madame," he said, removing his hat, "I find the rooms of
Mademoiselle are open, but all is in darkness. I cannot make any one
hear."
Madame took up her paper.
"Then Mademoiselle is probably out," she declared. "It is generally so
at this hour. Monsieur can leave his name."
"But the doors are all open!" Duncombe said.
"I go presently and close them," Madame answered. "The careless hussy!"
Duncombe produced a small piece of gold. Madame laid down the paper at
once. She looked at it as though ready to snatch it from his hand.
"Madame would oblige me very much if she would ascend with me at once,"
Duncombe said. "I should like to make quite sure whether the young lady
is there or not."
Madame was on her feet with remarkable celerity. She accepted the coin
and carefully placed it in a purse drawn from somewhere amongst the
folds of her voluminous skirts.
"We shall need a candle," Duncombe reminded her.
She lit a lamp, talking all the while.
"Monsieur is very generous," she declared. "Mademoiselle Flossie is a
charming young lady. No wonder she has many friends. There was one," she
continued, "who came here with her this afternoon--but he left almost at
once," she added hastily, aware of her indiscretion.
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