Part 26 (2/2)
”I am going to start for the masquerade from the other house.”
”Will there be dancing? Oh, I wish I could go.”
”No, no dancing; but I guess the band will play.”
”I love music,” she cried, not understanding slang; and I didn't explain it.
”I wish you weren't going, Christabel,” she said, kissing me when I was ready to start.
”It will be a long evening and I may wish that too before it's over,” I replied, with a feeling that that might well be so.
”You will be here with the news at the earliest possible moment to-morrow, won't you, dear? I am so weary of waiting.”
”I hope I shall be successful and have good news to bring you.”
”I am sure you will. I have such faith in you, Christabel.”
She kissed me and with my cloak on my arm and those words ringing in my ears, I set out upon the risky business before me.
CHAPTER XIV
I ELOPE
It was only to be expected that as I approached Madame d'Artelle's house I should be nervously uneasy lest the main foundation of my new plan should have collapsed.
I had built everything on the a.s.sumption that Count Gustav would induce his brother to carry out the original scheme of marrying Madame d'Artelle by stealth. I had threatened to bring her husband to Pesth on the following day; and since he knew as well as she seemed to, that M. Constans' arrival would put an absolute end to Madame's usefulness as a tool, I calculated that he would lose no effort to make use of her forthwith.
It was obvious, however, that my absence put an end to the reason for secrecy; and it was therefore quite on the cards that Karl might have been brought to Madame d'Artelle's house and some kind of ceremony have been already performed there. I should look a good many sorts of a fool if I walked into the house to find them already married.
Peter opened the door and gave a great start of surprise at seeing me.
”Madame is in?” I asked, in as casual a tone as I could a.s.sume.
”Yes, miss. She is in, but she is going out. We thought you had left, miss.”
”It's all right, Peter. I'll go up to Madame. She is probably in her room, dressing.”
”Yes, miss; with Ernestine; but----”
”Don't trouble. You need not tell any one I have come back;” and I gave him a golden reason for silence. ”Hide the fact of my presence and do what I wish, and there will be several more of these to follow.”
”I am always anxious to please you, miss.”
”I wish to see Madame quite alone; can you make an excuse to call Ernestine downstairs?”
He was a shrewd fellow enough in his way. We went upstairs and I waited in an adjoining room while he called Ernestine out and the two went down together.
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