CHAPTER XXII.

A SURPRISE FOR HONORA.

October 22, 1791.

VENTS crowd. This morning theone girl I have taken into my confidence came to my room with a strange tale. A stranger hadarrived, an elegant young gentleman of foreignappearance, who had not yet given his name, butwho must be a person of importance, if bearing andaddress go for anything. He came on horseback,attended by his valet, and his first word, aftersome directions in regard to his horse, was a requestto see the landlady. When told she wasill, he asked for the clerk, and to him was aboutto put some question, when an exclamation fromthe doorway interrupted them. Turning, theysaw madame standing there, her face petrifiedinto an expression of terrified surprise.

"Mrs.—"

"Hush!" sprang from the lady's lips before he could finish his exclamation; and advancing, she laid her hand on his arm, saying, in French, which, by the way, my clerk understands: "If you hope anything from us, do not speak the name that is faltering on your tongue. For reasons of our own, for reasons of a purely domestic nature, we are traveling incognito. Let me ask you as a gentleman to humor our whim, and to know us at present as Madame and Mademoiselle Letellier."

He bowed, but flushed with embarrassment.

"And mademoiselle? She is well, I trust?"

"Quite well."