Swiftly she rose
and stepped, back, breathing quickly but with triumph. He made as
though to leap, but in that moment she had smoothed out the crumpled
paper. A glance, and it fluttered to the table. Her laughter was very
close to tears.
"Monsieur le Vicomte, what a clever wooer you are!" She fled toward the
door, opened it, and was gone.
The vicomte sat down.
"Truly, that woman must be mine!"
He took up the paper, smoothed it, and laughed. The paper was totally
blank.
CHAPTER XXII
D'HEROUVILLE THREATENS AND MADAME FINDS A DROLL BOOK
The next morning the vicomte went to the hospital to inquire into the
state of the Comte d'Herouville's health. He found that gentleman
walking back and forth in the ward. There was little of the invalid
about him save for the pallor on his cheeks, which provided proof that
his blood was not yet of its accustomed thickness. At the sight of the
vicomte he neither frowned nor smiled; the expression on his face
remained unchanged, but he ceased his pacing. The two men contemplated
each other, and the tableau lasted for a minute.
"Well, Monsieur?" said D'Herouville, calmly.
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