ct me to
give you my name and address.' And before he could answer, she was
gone.

He walked about for the rest of the day in a great state of
excitement. 'My dear,' he told himself, 'if you're not careful,
something serious will happen to you.'

IX.

When he woke up he saw that it was raining; and in that part of the
world it really never does rain but it pours. Needless to touch upon
the impatient ennui with which he roamed the house. He sent for Andre
to lunch with him.

'Andre, can't you do something to stop this rain?' he asked; but Andre
stared. 'Oh, I was thinking of the priests of Baal,' Paul explained.
'I beg your pardon.' And after the coffee, 'Let's go up and play in
the garret,' he proposed: at which Andre stared harder still. 'We
always used to play in the garret on rainy days,' Paul reminded him.
'Mais, ma foi, monsieur, nous ne sommes plus des gosses,' Andre
answered.

'Is there any news about the Queen?' Paul asked.

'There's never any news from Granjolaye,' said Andre.

'And the lady I met in the forest? Have you any new theory who she
is?'

'An officer's wife from Ba----'

'Andre!' cried Paul. 'If you say that again, I shall write to the Pope
and ask him to disfrock you.'

The next day was fine; but, though he spent the entire morning in the
Smuggler's Pathway, he did not meet her. 'It's because the ground's
still wet,' he reasoned. 'Oh, why don't things dry quicker?'

The next day he did meet her--and she passed him with a bow. He shook
his fist at her unsuspecting back.

The next day he perceived Bezigue riderless near the opening among the
trees. The horse neighed, as he drew near. She was seated on the
moss. He stood still, and bowed tentatively from the path. 'Are you
disengaged? May I come in?' he asked.

'Oh, do,' she answered. 'And--won't you take a seat?'

'Thank you,' and he placed himself beside her.

'Tell me about your life afterwards,' she said.

'My life afterwards? After what?'

'After you were carried off to Paris.'

'What earthly interest can _that_ have?'

'I want to know.'

'It was the average life of the average youth whose family is in
average circumstances.'

'You went to school?'

'What makes you doubt it? Do I seem so illiterate?'

'Where? In England? Eton? Harrow?'

'No, in Paris. The Lycee Louis le Grand. Oh, I have received an
education--no expense was spared. I forget how many years I passed _a
faire mon droit_ in the Latin Quarter. You'