Part 22 (1/2)

”I went first to the Rue des Saladiers. The servant told me I should find him at the Cafe Delphine.”

I left her outside, and re-entering, met him in the middle of the Cafe, grasping his green hat in one hand and the pipe with the porcelain bowl in the other. All eyes were turned anxiously towards us.

”She has come for you, Master,” I whispered. ”She needs you. Come.”

”What does she want with me? It was all over and done with thirteen years ago.” His voice shook.

”She is waiting,” said I.

I drew him to the door and he obeyed me with strange docility. He drew a deep breath as soon as we emerged on to the wind-swept pavement.

”Gaston.”

”Yes,” said he.

They remained looking at each other for several seconds, agitated, neither able to speak.

”You were very cruel to me long ago,” she said at last.

My Master remained silent; the wooden stem of the pipe snapped between his fingers and the porcelain bowl fell with a crash to the pavement.

”Very cruel, Gaston. But you can make a little reparation now, if you like.”

”I repair my cruelty to you?” He laughed as men laugh in great pain.

”Very well. It will be a fitting end to a topsy-turvy farce. What can I do for Madame la Comtesse?”

”My husband is ill. Come to him. My carriage is here. Oh, put on your hat and don't stand there French fas.h.i.+on, bareheaded. We are English.”

”We are what you will,” said my Master putting on his hat. ”At present however I am mystified by your lighting on me in the dustbin of Paris.

You must have done much sifting.”

”I will tell you as we drive,” she said.

I walked with them across the pavement and opened the carriage door.

”Goodnight, Mr. Asticot,” said Madame la Comtesse holding out her hand.

Paragot looked from me to her, shrugged his shoulders and followed her into the carriage. My master had many English attributes, but in the shrug, the pantomime of Kismet, he was exclusively French.

CHAPTER XII

”_Mais dis donc, Asticot_,” said Blanquette holding a half egg-sh.e.l.l in each hand while the yolk and white fell into the bowl, ”who was the lady that came last night and wanted to see the Master?”

”You had better ask him,” said I.

”I have done so, but he will not tell me.”