onflict with prejudices which he fails to understand.
You are perhaps offended at my question. The last person of whom I
made that inquiry was the young and beautiful Madame la Comtesse de
Valerie-Moberanne, who enthusiastically clapped her hands with delight
at the compliment, and replied impulsively,--

'"Oh, Monsieur Valmont, let me compose for you an omelette which will
prove a dream," and she did. One should not forget that Louis XVIII
himself cooked the _truffes a la puree d'ortolans_ that caused the Duc
d'Escars, who partook of the royal dish, to die of an indigestion.
Cooking is a noble, yes, a regal art. I am a Frenchman, my lady, and,
like all my countrymen, regard the occupation of a cuisiniere as
infinitely superior to the manipulation of that machine, which is your
profession, or the science of investigation, which is mine.'

'Sir,' she said, quite unmollified by my harangue, speaking with a
lofty pride which somehow seemed much more natural than that so
intermittently assumed by my recent visitor, 'Sir, have you come to
offer me a situation as cook?'

'Yes, madam, at Rantremly Castle.'

'You are going there?' she demanded, almost breathlessly.

'Yes, madam, I leave on the ten o'clock train tomorrow morning. I am
commissioned by Lord Rantremly to investigate the supposed presence of
the ghost in that mouldering dwelling. I am allowed to bring with me
whatever assistants I require, and am assured that no one in the
neighbourhood can be retained who dare sleep in the castle. You know
the place very well, having lived there, so I shall be glad of your
assistance if you will come. If there is any person whom you can
trust, and who is not afraid of ghosts, I shall be delighted to escort
you both to Rantremly Castle tomorrow.'

'There is an old woman,' she said, 'who comes here to clear up my
room, and do whatever I wish done. She is so deaf that she will hear
no ghosts, and besides, monsieur, she can cook.'

I laughed in acknowledgment of this last sly hit at me, as the English
say.

'That will do excellently,' I replied, rising, and placing a ten-pound
note before her. 'I suggest, madam, that you purchase with this
anything you may need. My man has instructions to send by passenger
train a huge case of provisions, which should arrive there before us.
If you could make it convenient to meet me at Euston Station about a
quarter of an hour before the train leaves, we may be able to discover
all you wish