第7章 II(5)

Do you know that I am beginning to believe in presentiments?""You becoming superstitious!Why,may I ask?""I refused to do a nice little piece of ready-money business this morning.""Did you?"

"Yes,because I had a sort of feeling that made me resist all temptation to leave myself without cash.Imagine!I received a visit to-day from a great lady who lives in this house--in the suite of apartments next to mine.""What is her name?"

"Mademoiselle de Guerchi."

"And what did she want with you?"

"She called in order to ask me to buy,for four hundred livres,some of her jewels which are well worth six hundred,for I understand such things;or should I prefer it to lend her that sum and keep the jewels as security?It appears that mademoiselle is in great straits.De Guerchi--do you know the name?""I think I have heard it."

"They say she has had a stormy past,and has been greatly talked of;but then half of what one hears is lies.Since she came to live here she has been very quiet.No visitors except one--a nobleman,a duke--wait a moment!What's his name?The Duc-Duc de Vitry;and for over three weeks even he hasn't been near her.I imagine from this absence that they have fallen out,and that she is beginning to feel the want of money.""You seem to be intimately acquainted with this young woman's affairs.""Indeed I am,and yet I never spoke to her till this morning.""How did you get your information,then?"

"By chance.The room adjoining this and one of those she occupies were formerly one large room,which is now divided into two by a partition wall covered with tapestry;but in the two corners the plaster has crumbled away with time,and one can see into the room through slits in the tapestry without being seen oneself.Are you inquisitive?""Not more than you,Madame Rapally."

"Come with me.Someone knocked at the street door a few moments ago;there's no one else in the douse likely to have visitors at this hour.Perhaps her admirer has come back.""If so,we are going to witness a scene of recrimination or reconciliation.How delightful!"Although he was not leaving the widow's lodgings,Maitre Quennebert took up his hat and cloak and the blessed bag of crown pieces,and followed Madame Rapally on tiptoe,who on her side moved as slowly as a tortoise and as lightly as she could.They succeeded in turning the handle of the door into the next room without making much noise.

"'Sh!"breathed the widow softly;"listen,they are speaking."She pointed to the place where he would find a peep-hole in one corner of the room,and crept herself towards the corresponding corner.Quennebert,who was by no means anxious to have her at his side,motioned to her to blow out the light.This being done,he felt secure,for he knew that in the intense darkness which now enveloped them she could not move from her place without knocking against the furniture between them,so he glued his face to the partition.An opening just large enough for one eye allowed him to see everything that was going on in the next room.Just as he began his observations,the treasurer at Mademoiselle de Guerchi's invitation was about to take a seat near her,but not too near for perfect respect.Both of them were silent,and appeared to labour under great embarrassment at finding themselves together,and explanations did not readily begin.The lady had not an idea of the motive of the visit,and her quondam lover feigned the emotion necessary to the success of his undertaking.Thus Maitre Quennebert had full time to examine both,and especially Angelique.The reader will doubtless desire to know what was the result of the notary's observation.