your acquaintance. And to-morrow you shall have my answer."

"Ah!" thought I; "the Vicomtesse decides it."

And I followed Monsieur de Clericy towards the door.

"It is half-past eleven," he said, looking at his modest silver watch.
"We shall find Madame in her boudoir."

This apartment, it appeared, was situated beyond the drawing-room, of
which we now passed the door. Below us was the great square hall, dark
and gloomy; for its windows had been heavily barred in the old
stirring times, and but little light filtered through the ironwork. At
the head of the stairs was a gallery completely surrounding the
quadrangle, and from this gallery access was gained to all the
dwelling rooms.

The Vicomte tapped at the door of Madame's room, and without waiting
for an answer passed in. I, having purposely lingered, did not hear
the few words spoken upon the threshold, and only advanced when bidden
to do so by my companion.

[Illustration: "MONSIEUR HOWARD NATURALLY WISHED TO BE PRESENTED TO YOU."]

An elderly lady stood by the window, having just risen from the broad
seat thereof, which was littered with the trifles of a lady's
work-basket. The Vicomtesse was obviously many years younger than her
husband--a trim woman of fifty or thereabouts, with crinkled grey hair
and the clear brown complexion of the Provencale. Beneath the grey
hair there looked out at me the cleverest eyes I have ever seen in a
human head. I bowed, made suddenly aware that I stood in the
presence of an individuality, near an oasis--as it were--in the dreary
desert of human commonplace. And strange to say, at the same moment my
conscience laid itself down to sleep. Madame la Vicomtesse de Clericy
was a woman capable of guarding those near and dear to her.

"Monsieur Howard," explained her husband, looking at me, with his
white fingers nervously intertwined, "is desirous of filling the post
left vacant by the departure of our friend Charles Miste. We have had
a little talk on affairs. It is possible that we may come to a
mutually satisfactory arrangement. Monsieur Howard naturally wished to
be presented to you."

Madame bowed, her clear dark eyes resting almost musingly on my face.
She waited for me to speak, whereas nine women out of ten would have
broken silence.

"I have explained to Monsieur le Vicomte," I hastened to say, "that I
have none of the requisite qualifications for the post, and that my
female relatives--my aunts, in fact--looked upon