affect
the opportunity!"

"What opportunity?"

"You have the letter. It is for Madame herself to deny the
handwriting--not you. Why should you, of all people, think it a joke?
Why not act upon it? Why not ask her what it means?"

"At two in the morning? I have no wish to compromise Madame--not the
least. She is too rich to compromise. She is the sort of lady one
marries. Tell Mudara, with my compliments, he must understand gentlemen
before he can play successful tricks upon them."

"I will take my oath that I am not sure it is a trick," answered
Isidore.

Castrillon studied the letter for a third time.

"Here and there," he said, "it has the ring of her voice, and the words
are the words she uses."

"With such a justification in my pocket, I know what I should do,"
mumbled Isidore.

"So do I. But you are the scum of the earth, and what you would, or
wouldn't do, could only interest the hangman."

The Marquis locked the note in his dressing-case, and handed his keys,
with his usual simplicity, to Isidore.

"I do not propose to tire myself with this nonsense before the play,"
said he. "Get my raw eggs and milk."

* * * * *

At nine o'clock that evening, a brilliant company were gathered in the
Salle de Comedie. Most of the Foreign Ambassadors, and about fifty
illustrious personages of great social importance, were present. Prince
d'Alchingen had resolved that the daughter of Henriette Duboc should
have every opportunity of making a successful _debut_ in England. He had
sprinkled most judiciously among his guests a few accredited experts in
various departments of knowledge, and these he hoped would lead
appreciation into the right channel by explaining, at fit intervals,
just why Mrs. Parflete was beautiful and just where her art had its
especial distinction. The play itself--_La Seconde Surprise de
l'Amour_--by Pierre de Marivaux, was quite unknown to the audience.
Brigit and Castrillon had appeared in it at Madrid, and descriptions of
their success were whispered through the room. The story of her birth,
her unhappy marriage, her adventures in Spain, and her relations with De
Hausee had quickened curiosity to the highest pitch. Was she really so
young? was she really so pretty? was she going on the public stage, or
would she remain an accomplished, semi-royal amateur? No one referred
openly to the late Archduke Charles, but the facts that Madame Duboc had
been his Canonica