Part 7 (2/2)
”Monsieur, when once this lady has been seen, she is not to be forgotten”
”Ha!” exclaio on, Alphonse”
”And cut it short,” said I, impatient
Alphonse paused ”Circue me to speak in some detail I o years in the service Those atch and follow mada serious”
”And her naarde, Rue de St Victor, No 31--a sret not to be able to report more fully, but I am well known as monsieur's valet To appear too curious would be unwise”
I regardedrespect, while Merton ejaculated, ”damn such a country!” and I asked:
”Is that all?”
”Yes, monsieur; but circuo”
When alone with Merton, he said to me, ”You must call on her”
”No,” I said; ”she is suspected of so and I, at least for a time, was taken to be an accoht,” returned Merton, thoughtfully; ”quite right You must keep quiet The matter, whatever it may be, is still unsettled; but I am resolute to find what this woman has done, and why she is watched like a suspected thief I never was more curious”
For a moment we considered the situation in silence At last Merton said, ”If this woht you not chance to meet her?”
”Yes, but I never as yet have done so, and I remember faces well I may meet her any day, or never ive up The raver it appears If it be a police affair, no letter reaches her unopened
Rest assured of that She is like a fly in a cobweb Chance ainst us”
”No,” said Merton; ”the ga they don't know, and they are, therefore, no better off than we”
With this he went away and Alphonse returned The man was plainly troubled He said he could do no more, and that when he had made his report to the police that day he had been told to keep a closer watch on ht he show the: ”Yes; there are two replies to invitations and a note to ht he venture to say that monsieur would be well advised to keep out of thestood over for several days longer
IX
Two days later I dined at one of the great Bonapartist houses I was late, and as the guests were about to go to dinner, our hostess said, ”Let me present you to a fellow countrywoarde” I was so taken aback that I could hardly find words to speak to her until we sat down together at dinner She, too, was equally agitated I talked awhile totable co thus set free, I said to M low:
”You are my countrywoman, and are, as I know, in trouble What is it?
After we h to refrain froht I a
In ive nize in reat good fortune We cannot talk here I ation--to my country, but we dare not talk here What I have to say is long You must not call on me, but we must meet Come to the masked ball at the palace to-ation--some one you can trust It is a masquerade as you must know I shall wear a mask--a black domino with a red rose on one sleeve, a white one on the other Let your friend say, 'Lincoln' I shall answer, 'America' But do let him be careful”