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〃I could not help it； madame。 You sent for me。 I am sorry if。。。 〃
She broke off； and looked at Andre…Louis long and curiously。 She
was pale； but quite composed。 She held out her hand to him。 〃And
so you have come at last； Andre；〃 said she。 〃You might have come
before。〃
〃I come when I am wanted；〃 was his answer。 〃Which is the only time
in which one can be sure of being received。〃 He said it without
bitterness； and having said it stooped to kiss her hand。
〃You can forgive me what is past； I hope； since I failed of my
purpose；〃 he said gently； half…pleading。 〃I could not have come to
you pretending that the failure was intentional … a compromise
between the necessities of the case and your own wishes。 For it
was not that。 And yet； you do not seem to have profited by my
failure。 You are still a maid。〃
She turned her shoulder to him。
〃There are things；〃 she said； 〃that you will never understand。〃
〃Life； for one；〃 he acknowledged。 〃I confess that I am finding it
bewildering。 The very explanations calculated to simplify it seem
but to complicate it further。〃 And he looked at Mme。 de Plougastel。
〃You mean something； I suppose；〃 said mademoiselle。
〃Aline！〃 It was the Countess who spoke。 She knew the danger of
half…discoveries。 〃I can trust you； child； I know； and Andre…Louis；
I am sure； will offer no objection。〃 She had taken up the letter
to show it to Aline。 Yet first her eyes questioned him。
〃Oh； none； madame；〃 he assured her。 〃It is entirely a matter for
yourself。〃
Aline looked from one to the other with troubled eyes； hesitating
to take the letter that was now proffered。 When she had read it
through； she very thoughtfully replaced it on the table。 A moment
she stood there with bowed head； the other two watching her。 Then
impulsively she ran to madame and put her arms about her。
〃Aline！〃 It was a cry of wonder； almost of joy。 〃You do not
utterly abhor me！〃
〃My dear；〃 said Aline； and kissed the tear…stained face that seemed
to have grown years older in these last few hours。
In the background Andre…Louis； steeling himself against emotionalism；
spoke with the voice of Scaramouche。
〃It would be well； mesdames； to postpone all transports until they
can be indulged at greater leisure and in more security。 It is
growing late。 If we are to get out of this shambles we should be
wise to take the road without more delay。〃
It was a tonic as effective as it was necessary。 It startled them
into remembrance of their circumstances； and under the spur of it
they went at once to make their preparations。
They left him for perhaps a quarter of an hour； to pace that long
room alone； saved only from impatience by the turmoil of his mind。
When at length they returned； they were accompanied by a tall man
in a full…skirted shaggy greatcoat and a broad hat the brim of
which was turned down all around。 He remained respectfully by the
door in the shadows。
Between them the two women had concerted it thus； or rather the
Countess had so concerted it when Aline had warned her that
Andre…Louis' bitter hostility towards the Marquis made it
unthinkable that he should move a finger consciously to save him。
Now despite the close friendship uniting M。 de Kercadiou and his
niece with Mme。 de Plougastel； there were several matters concerning
them of which the Countess was in ignorance。 One of these was the
project at one time existing of a marriage between Aline and M。 de
La Tour d'Azyr。 It was a matter that Aline … naturally enough in
the state of her feelings … had never mentioned； nor had M。 de
Kercadiou ever alluded to it since his coming to Meudon； by when he
had perceived how unlikely it was ever to be realized。
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's concern for Aline on that morning of the
duel when he had found her baif…swooning in Mme。 de Plougastel's
carriage had been of a circumspection that betrayed nothing of his
real interest in her； and therefore had appeared no more than
natural in one who must account himself the cause of her distress。
Similarly Mme。 de Plougastel had never realized nor did she realize
now … for Aline did not trouble fully to enlighten her … that the
hostility between the two men was other than political； the quarrel
other than that which already had taken Andre…Louis to the Bois on
every day of the preceding week。 But； at least； she realized that
even if Andre…Louis' rancour should have no other source； yet that
inconclusive duel was cause enough for Aline's fears。
And so she had proposed this obvious deception； and Aline had
consented to be a passive party to it。 They had made the mistake
of not fully forewarning and persuading M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。 They
had trusted entirely to his anxiety to escape from Paris to keep
him rigidly within the part imposed upon him。 They had reckoned
without the queer sense of honour that moved such men as M。 le
Marquis； nurtured upon a code of shams。
Andre…Louis； turning to scan that muffled figure； advanced from
the dark depths of the salon。 As the light beat on his white；
lean face the pseudo…footman started。 The next moment he too
stepped forward into the light； and swept his broad…brimmed hat
from his brow。 As he did so Andre…Louis observed that his hand
was fine and white and that a jewel flashed from one of the
fingers。 Then he caught his breath； and stiffened in every line
as he recognized the face revealed to him。
〃Monsieur；〃 that stern； proud man was saying； 〃I cannot take
advantage of your ignorance。 If these ladies can persuade you to
save me； at least it is due to you that you shall know whom you
are saving。〃
He stood there by the table very erect and dignified； ready to
perish as he had lived … if perish he must … without fear and
without deception。
Andre…Louis came slowly forward until he reached the table on the
other side； and then at last the muscles of his set face relaxed；
and he laughed。
〃You laugh？〃 said M。 de La Tour dAzyr； frowning； offended。
〃It is so damnably amusing；〃 said Andre…Louis。
〃You've an odd sense of humour； M。 Moreau。〃
〃Oh； admitted。 The unexpected always moves me so。 I have found
you many things in the course of our acquaintance。 To…night you
are the one thing I never expected to find you： an honest man。〃
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr quivered。 But he attempted no reply。
〃Because of that； monsieur； I am disposed to be clement。 It is
probably a foolishness。 But you have surprised me into it。 I
give you three minutes； monsieur； in which to leave this house； and
to take your own measures for your safety。 What afterwards happens
to you shall be no concern of mine。
〃Ah； no； Andre！ Listen。。。 〃 Madame began in anguish。
〃Pardon； madame。 It is the utmost that I will do； and already I
am violating what I conceive to be my duty。 If M。 de La Tour d'Azyr
remains he not only ruins himself； but he imperils you。 For unless
he departs at once； he goes with me to the headquarters of the
section； and the section will have his head on a pike inside the
hour。 He is a notorious counter…revolutionary； a knight of the
dagger； one of those whom an exasperated populace is determined to
exterminate。 Now； monsieur； you know what awaits you。 Resolve
yourself and at once； for these ladies' sake。〃
〃But you don't know； Andre…Louis！〃 Mme。 de Plougastel's condition
was one of anguish indescribable。 She came to him and clutched his
arm。 〃For the love of Heaven； Andre…Louis； be merciful with him！
You must！〃
〃But that is what I am being； madame … merciful； more merciful than
he deserves。 And he knows it。 Fate has meddled most oddly in our
concerns to bring us together to…night。 Almost it is as if Fate
were forcing retribution at last upon him。 Yet； for your sakes； I
take no advantage of it； provided that he does at once as I have
desired him。〃
And now from beyond the table the Marquis spoke icily； and as he
spoke his right hand stirred under the ample folds of his greatcoat。
〃I am glad； M。 Moreau； that you take that tone with me。 You relieve
me of the last scruple。 You spoke of Fate just now； and I must
agree with you that Fate has meddled oddly； though perhaps not to
the end that you discern。 For years now you have chosen to stand
in my path and thwart me at every turn； holding over me a perpetual
menace。 Persistently you have sought my life in various ways； first
indirectly and at last directly。 Your intervention in my affairs
has ruined my highest hopes … more effectively； perhaps； than you
suppose。 Throughout you have been my evil genius。 And you are even
one of the agents of this climax of despair that has been reached
by me to…night。〃
〃Wait！ Listen！〃 Madame was panting。 She flung away from
Andre…Louis； as if moved by some premonition of what was coming。
〃Gervais！ This is horrible！〃
〃Horrible； perhaps； but inevitable。 Himself he has invited it。 I
am a man in despair； the fugitive of a lost cause。 That man holds
the keys of escape。 And； besides； between him and me there is a
reckoning to be paid。〃
His hand came from beneath the coat at last； and it came armed with
a pistol。
Mme。 de Plougastel screamed； and flung herself upon him。 On he