"Behind the curtains of your bed. There I can see and hear."
"Whatever else you do, don't laugh, Nanon, for these are serious matters."
"Have no fear," said Nanon. "I won't laugh."
Canolles ordered the messenger to be introduced, and passed into his own apartment, a room of great size, furnished under Charles IX. in a style of severe simplicity. Two candelabra were burning upon the chimney-piece, but their feeble glimmer was quite inadequate to light the immense apartment; the alcove at the farther end was entirely in shadow.
"Are you there, Nanon?" Canolles asked.
A stifled "Yes" reached his ears.
At that moment he heard steps in the corridor. The sentinel presented arms; the messenger entered and followed his introducer with his eyes, until he was, or thought he was, alone with Canolles. Then he removed his hat and threw back his cloak; immediately a mass of blond locks fell down over a pair of shapely shoulders, the graceful, willowy form of a woman appeared under the gold baldric, and Canolles, by the sad, sweet expression of her face, recognized the Vicomtesse de Cambes.
"I told you that I would seek you," she said, "and I keep my word; here I am."
Canolles clasped his hands and fell upon a chair in speechless amazement, and an agony of fear.
"You! you!" he muttered. "Mon Dieu! why are you here; what seek you here?"