my lady with the utmost courtesy:

"What say you, Madame, shall I bear your reply to this gentle captain?
For by my faith, Madame, you require a more careful go-between than
this, one more discreet and less glib of tongue."

"Charles, upon my honor, I know nothing of all this; I have never seen
this Captain de Mouret."

He looked as if he did not hear her. He glanced at the sun, full two
hours high, drew his sword and started to leave the garden.

He paused to doff his cap, and say, "I bear your message for you,
Madame; verily, I am honored."

My lady neither screamed nor fainted during his questioning of Jacques;
she stood and listened as one dazed, or who but dimly understood. The
Chevalier strode out sword in hand.

"For shame, Charles," she called to him calmly enough, though she was
deadly pale, "here is some wretched mistake--"

"Yes, there does appear to have been a mistake--in the delivery of this
precious billet. I will speedily make that right."

"Charles, Charles!"

He turned. Her bearing was full as proud as his. He looked from the
woman to the paper in his hand.

"Well, if you know not this man, then he has wantonly insulted you. I
shall await this Captain de Mouret by the water, and there I shall know
the truth. He shall explain what means this pretty letter to my wife."

Jacques watched her proudly erect figure enter the door. He saw her
sway a moment in indecision, then sink beside the bed to pray. She
came shortly to the door again and called him. The fellow's brain
worked slowly, and he had not yet comprehended the extent of mischief
he had done. That he had done something amiss, though, he began to
understand.

"You had that note from Monsieur le Capitaine de Mouret?"

"Yes, Madame."

"And he said deliver it to me?"

"To Madame Agnes de la Mora. Am I not right?"

"Yes, I am Madame Agnes de la Mora, but that note was not intended for
me."

She came closer to Jacques, so close indeed she laid her trembling hand
upon his sleeve.

"Tell me--you know this Captain de Mouret well--tell me if you would
save an innocent woman, has this Captain de Mouret a love affair here?
Answer me, answer me truly, has he a love affair, or--or a mistress?"

Her innocence and direct question abashed Jacques sorely and set him a
wondering what manner of escapade was this his master had got into.

"I will go to her, be she what she may, go to anybody; my husband must
not kill this innocent