Madame turned pale from rage and shame. The rage nearly overcame the
fear and terror which she was so admirably concealing.
"Have you?" pitilessly.
"You . . . ?"
"Yes," intuitively. He touched the particles of burnt paper and
laughed.
"You were in this room?"
"I was. It was not intentional eavesdropping; my word of honor, as to
that. I came in here, having an unimportant engagement with a friend.
He was late. While I waited, in walked Monsieur le Chevalier, then
yourself."
"Monsieur, you might have made known your presence."
"It is true that I might; but I should have missed a very fine comedy.
Madame, I compliment you. How well you have kept undiscovered, even
undreamt of, this charming intrigue!"
Madame gazed at the door and wondered if she could reach it before he
could.
"So, sometimes you are called 'Diane'? You are no longer the huntress;
you are Daphne!"
"Monsieur!"
"And you would turn into a laurel tree! My faith, Madame, it was a
charming scene! You are as erudite as a student fresh from the
Sorbonne."
"Monsieur, this is far away from the subject."
"Let me see; there was a line worthy of Monsieur de Saumaise at his
best.
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