"I don't want him to see me here." "Stay where you are, man," commanded Madame imperiously, and Leroux, whose sallow cheeks were the colour of ashes, muttered something between his teeth and withdrew into a dark corner of the room. Then Madame turned once more to old Matthieu. "You did not think," she said, "of saying to M. de Maurel that I was from home." "Yes, I did," replied the man. "I told him you were away." "And what did he say?" "That he would wait until your return, and in the meanwhile would speak with his overseer, Paul Leroux, who he believed was within." There came a violent oath from Leroux, and Madame put a handkerchief up to her lips which felt cracked and dry; and during the silence that ensued there came echoing through the silent house the sound of a footfall with a curious lilt in it--the unmistakable footsteps of a man who is lame. "Stand aside, Matthieu," said Madame, with as much dignity as she could command, even though her voice sounded raucous and hoarse. "I will go speak with M. de Maurel. Do you follow me into the hall, and you, Leroux," she added, once more turning to the craven creature who made no attempt to disguise his fears, "stay here!" CHAPTER XVIII THE WORD OF THE MASTER I De Maurel stood waiting for her in the pillared hall. In accordance with the custom which he himself had established during his last visits to Courson, he was in uniform without his sword and mantle. Madame la Marquise had already fully recovered her self-possession; her short progress across the hall restored to her the full measure of her habitual _sang-froid_. With a well-schooled smile upon her lips she came forward eagerly to greet him. "Ah! my dear Ronnay," she said, as she extended a gracious hand to him, "this is indeed a surprise--none the less joyous as it was so wholly unexpected. Indeed, we here at La Frontenay had come to believe that you had wholly forgotten us." He bowed low over the gracious hand, and even touched the finger-tips with his lips. "You look more bronzed than ever, M. le Marechal," added Madame with an arch smile, "and your numerous new dignities and the added gorgeousness of your uniform will play sadder havoc than ever before in the hearts of our impressionable young girls. You have come to pay me a long visit, I hope. Come to my boudoir, my dear Ronnay, the room which your generosity hath furnished with such lavish care for your old mother. We can talk undisturbed there." "Within a few moments, Madame," he said quietly, "I will be entirely at your service. But, first of all, may I, with your gracious permission, speak a few words with my overseer Leroux?"