“Because if he had any free time, I thought of asking him to do a small job for me.”
“What sort of job?”
“Well, that’s just it, you see.... To begin with, I should have liked to know the kind of pursuits he’s engaged in.”
The question lacked subtlety. But Carola’s appearance was not of the sort to invite subtlety. In the meantime the Comte de Baraglioul had recovered his self-possession; he was seated in the chair which Carola had cleared, and Carola was leaning on the table close to him, just beginning to speak, when a loud disturbance was heard in the passage; the door opened noisily and the woman Julius had noticed in the carriage made her appearance.
“I was sure of it,” she said, “when I saw him going upstairs.”
Carola drew away a little from Julius and answered quickly:
“Nothing of the kind, my dear—we were just talking. My friend, Bertha Grand-Marnier—Monsieur le Comte ... there now! I’m so sorry! I’ve forgotten your name.”
“It’s of no consequence,” said Julius, rather stiffly, as he pressed the gloved hand which Bertha offered him.
“Now, introduce me,” said Carola....
“Look here, dearie, we’re an hour late already,” went on the other, after having introduced her friend. “If you want to talk to the gentleman, let him come with us; I’ve got a carriage.”