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“I know him.”

“We shall act with the greatest discretion. Ladies and gentlemen, M.
Château-Renaud may, or may not come; he may come alone, or accompanied by in all
cases, I request you to keep this a lady—he may lose, or not lose his bet; in
all cases I request you to keep this adventure secret.”

They all with one voice promised, as he requested; probably not from a very
deep sentiment of social propriety, but because every body was very hungry, and
consequently desirous of sitting down to supper.”

“Thank you, sir,” said de Franchi to Dujarrier, offering him his hand; “I
assure you that you have acted like a gallant man.”

We passed out into the salle à manger, and each one took his seat. Two places
remained vacant; those of Château-Renaud and the lady who was to accompany him.

The servant was about taking these two covers away— “No,” said the master of
the house, “let them remain, “Mons. Château-Renaud has time till four o’clock.
At that hour you may remove them, he will have lost his bet.”

I did not lose sight of M. de Franchi. I saw him glancing at the pendule, it
wanted twenty minutes to four.

“Is your time right?” asked Louis carelessly.

“That’s not my business,” answered Dujarrier, laughing, “Château-Renaud must
look to that! I have regulated my Pendule after his watch, so that he cannot
complain of having been mistaken in the time.”

“Ah! gentlemen,” said the bouquet of myosotis, “pour Dieu, since it is
forbidden, do not let us speak any more of Château-Renaud and his fair inconnue,
for we are about falling into symbols, allegories and enigmas, which with your
permission are horribly ennuyeux.’,

“You are right, Est—” replied V., “there are many ladies of whom we can
speak, and who don’t wish any thing better than to be spoken of.”

“To their health!” said Dujarrier.

The glasses were filling with iced Champagne. Each guest had his bottle at
hand.

I noticed that Louis only touched his glass slightly with his lips.

“But drink,” said I to him, “you see well enough that he will not come.”

“It is yet a quarter to four. At four o’clock, no matter how much behindhand
I may be, I promise you I will go ahead of the one who is most in advance.

“All right then.”

While we exchanged these few words in a low tone of voice, the conversation
became general and noisy. From time to time Dujarrier and Louis both looked at
the pendule, which continued pursuing its imperturbable march, perfectly
insensible of the impatience of the two persons who were anxiously watching its
hands.

At five minutes to four, I looked at Louis. “Your health,” said I.

He took his glass, smiling, and brought it up to his lips.

He had emptied just about one half of it, when the bell rung. I had thought
he could not become any paler. I was mistaken.

“That’s he,” said Louis.

“We shall soon see that.”

The ringing of the bell had attracted the attention of the whole company; and
the most profound silence immediately followed the noisy conversation which was
running round and crossing the whole table.

Something like a discussion was heard in the antechamber.

Dujarrier rose, and opened the door.

“I have recognized her voice,” said Louis, seizing my wrist and pressing it
with great force.

“Come, come,—courage now, be a man,” answered I; “it is evident that if she
comes to take supper at the house of a man and with people with all of whom she
is entirely unacquainted, she is a woman who does not deserve the love of an
honorable man.”

“But pray, madame,” said D., in the antechamber, “walk in, if you please, I
assure you that we are altogether among friends.”

“Come in, my dear Emily,” said Monsieur Château-Renaud; “you shall not take
your mask off, if you don’t choose to do so.”

“The wretch!” murmured Louis.

At this moment the lady entered, drawn rather than led by Château-Renaud, and
Dujarrier, who fancied himself obliged to perform this office as master of the
house.

“Three minutes to four,” said Château-Renaud to D., in a low voice.