“Yes, the Comtesse de Globeska, wife of the Comte de Globeski, a man of high social position who had to flee from his country because he was accused of high treason. He’s as jealous as a tiger! he’s the kind of fellow that talks of nothing but stabbing his wife if she should give so much as one hair to a man!” “This is terrible!” “It’s of no consequence at all! Women haven’t the slightest fear of daggers; on the contrary, they love to defy danger. I succeeded in getting your letter to the fair Globeska. It was a hard task; I had to scatter gold lavishly, and I did so; in fact, I borrowed some, as I had not enough. I know that you will make it up to me, and I thought that you would not blame me for being zealous in the service of your love.” “Oh! far from it, my dear Daréna; I thank you. But did the pretty Pole write me a word in reply?” “No, she didn’t write you; perhaps she doesn’t write French very well--that is excusable in a foreigner; but women abound in self-esteem; they are afraid of being laughed at if they make a mistake in grammar; in fact, the enchanting Globeska replied by word of mouth, and what she said is worth all the billets-doux that ever were written.” “What did she say?” “She said to her maid, whom I had seduced--I mean that I bribed her with money: ‘Say to this young Frenchman who has written me, that I share his passion. Since I saw him, I dream of him all the time, even when I am not asleep.’” “Did she say that? Oh! what joy!” “Let us finish: ‘I am bound to a tyrant whom I detest. Let this Frenchman devise some way to carry me off, and I am ready to go with him--I will throw myself into his arms.’--Well, what do you say to that, my lucky Lovelace? I should say that you had turned her head!” “Yes, my friend, I am very glad; for I feel that I like that young woman better than all the rest. With her it seems to me that I shall be more at my ease than with the women in fashionable society, who always intimidate me.” “You will be very much at your ease, I promise you; the Poles are very unceremonious.” “But she talks about my carrying her off. Can that be done? Is it allowable to carry off a man’s wife?” “Oh! what a child! In the first place, you don’t ask leave; and secondly, you see that she herself wants it done. Never fear, I will look after the abduction; I make that my business.” “My dear Daréna, how much I am indebted to you!” “But the main point is to know where I shall take your charmer. You will understand that it would be neither proper nor prudent to bring her to this house, where your servants will see her, and----” “Oh! certainly not. But where can we take her then?” “Nothing can be simpler. All that we have to do is to hire a little house near Paris, in the suburbs, in some lonely and quiet spot. Do you wish me to attend to that too?” “Oh, yes! I beg that you will.”