Raymond swore that he would
watch his sister, and discover her secret."
"M. Raymond is the present Count de Chalusse, suppose?" inquired
M. Fortunat.
"Yes, monsieur. Such was the state of matters when, one night,
the gardener thought he heard a noise in the pavilion, at the end
of the garden. This pavilion was very large. I have seen it. It
contained a sitting-room, a billiard-room, and a large fencing-
hall. Naturally enough, the gardener got up to go and see what
was the matter. As he left the house, he fancied he saw two
persons moving about among the trees. He ran after them, but
could find nothing. They had made their escape through a small
gate leading from the garden into the street. When the gardener
was telling me this story, he declared again and again that he had
fancied the noise he had heard was made by some of the servants
trying to leave the house secretly, and for this reason he didn't
give the alarm. However, he hurried to the pavilion, but on seeing
no light there, he went back to bed with an easy mind."
"And it was Mademoiselle Hermine eloping with a lover?" asked M.
Fortunat.
Madame Vantrasson seemed as disappointed as an actor who has been
deprived of an opportunity of producing a grand effect. "Wait a
moment," she replied, "and you'll see. The night passed, morning
came, and then the breakfast hour. But Mademoiselle Hermine did
not make her appearance. Some one was sent to rap at her door--
there was no answer.
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