[Illustration 10: "Iris declared I was a liar, and that she had never ordered any lace."] "Oh, bless you! there are plenty of other things quite as strange in that singular household! Well, as I expected, back came Mademoiselle Iris to tell me, very politely, I was a liar, and that she had never been near me to order any lace. The chasseur kept close by; but that did not prevent my saying, in a very quick, low tone, to the mulatto, 'I have something very particular, indeed, to say to you; it concerns the life or death of a man. To-morrow and the following evenings, I shall be from dusk on the Quai d'Anjou, near the little garden gate; there I shall wait until you come.'--You perceive, M. Charles, '_the life or death of a man is at stake!_' That's the right way to put it. Those words would rouse the curiosity of any young person, let the colour of her skin be what it might!" "And what reply did the mulatto make?" "Oh, she said quite snappishly (but I was prepared for that), that she did not understand what I was talking about, and that I had monstrously the air of an old _intrigante_; after which she turned to the dandyfied chasseur, and said, pointing to me, 'Remember, this woman is not to be permitted to enter the Hôtel again.' Upon which, the monkeyfied lacquey, with a significant gesture, pointed towards the door. I took up my box of patterns, my bag, and other little etceteras, and trotted down the stairs with all the agility of fifteen! And so ended my second day! You perceive every thing was going on as well as could be wished." "Not quite so well!" "How do you mean? Do you forget that a positive meeting had been arranged with the blackamoor, by telling her a man's life depended on it?" "Still, the girl herself had decidedly refused to attend the meeting." "Lord have mercy on you, M. Charles! Well! you do downright astonish me, at your age and with your experience, to make such an observation! Well, I declare, you surprise me, you do! Now, just look here; if I had merely said, 'To-morrow, I shall be at the little garden gate, to communicate to you some very interesting information,' the mulatto might, very easily, have restrained her curiosity till the next day, and the day after would have been too late. But, take notice; I kept the thing alive, by saying, '_To-morrow, and every other evening, I shall be there._' Thus, you see, I gave her full time to fall a prey to her own impatience to find out what secret could possibly be concerned in the affair!" "Very fairly reasoned."