even though this was the
first occasion on which I had referred to the matter. Indeed, when, at
certain moments, I perceived that my more ardent passages confused him,
I purposely increased my ardour of narration. Yet one thing I regret:
and that is that I made references to the Frenchman which were a little
over-personal.

Mr. Astley sat without moving as he listened to me. Not a word nor a
sound of any kind did he utter as he stared into my eyes. Suddenly,
however, on my mentioning the Frenchman, he interrupted me, and
inquired sternly whether I did right to speak of an extraneous matter
(he had always been a strange man in his mode of propounding questions).

"No, I fear not," I replied.

"And concerning this Marquis and Mlle. Polina you know nothing beyond
surmise?"

Again I was surprised that such a categorical question should come from
such a reserved individual.

"No, I know nothing FOR CERTAIN about them" was my reply. "No--nothing."

"Then you have done very wrong to speak of them to me, or even to
imagine things about them."

"Quite so, quite so," I interrupted in some astonishment. "I admit
that. Yet that is not the question." Whereupon I related to him in
detail the incident of two days ago. I spoke of Polina's outburst, of
my encounter with the Baron, of my dismissal, of the General's
extraordinary pusillanimity, and of the call which De Griers had that
morning paid me. In conclusion, I showed Astley the note which I had
lately received.

"What do you make of it?" I asked. "When I met you I was just coming to
ask you your opinion. For myself, I could have killed this Frenchman,
and am not sure that I shall not do so even yet."

"I feel the same about it," said Mr. Astley. "As for Mlle.
Polina--well, you yourself know that, if necessity drives, one enters
into relation with people whom one simply detests. Even between this
couple there may be something which, though unknown to you, depends
upon extraneous circumstances. For, my own part, I think that you may
reassure yourself--or at all events partially. And as for Mlle.
Polina's proceedings of two days ago, they were, of course, strange;
not because she can have meant to get rid of you, or to earn for you a
thrashing from the Baron's cudgel (which for some curious reason, he
did not use, although he had it ready in his hands), but because such
proceedings on the part of such--well, of such a refined lady as Mlle.
Polina are, to say the least of