_Voil?!_"
Valentine was right in his supposition that both the lady of the feathers
and the doctor would accept his invitation, but he did not understand
the precise motive which prompted their acceptance. Nor did he much care
to understand it. Cuckoo, Doctor Levillier! After all, what were they
to him now? Spectators of his triumph. Interesting, therefore, to a
certain extent, as an unpaying audience may be interesting to an actor.
Interesting, inasmuch as they could contribute to swell the bladder of
his vanity, and follow in procession behind his chariot wheels. But he no
longer cared to divine the shades of their emotions, or to busy himself
in fathoming their exact mental attitudes in relation to himself. So he
thought, touched perhaps with a certain delirium, though not with the
delirium of insanity attributed to him by Doctor Levillier.
The doctor had intended celebrating the last night of the year in Harley
Street with Cuckoo and the two young men. The refusal of the latter put
an end to the opening of his plan of campaign in this strange battle,
and he was greatly astonished when he received Valentine's invitation.
Still, he had no hesitation in accepting it.
"So," he said to himself, as he read the note, "we join issue within the
very wall of the enemy.
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