At dinner his Excellency was thoughtful and taciturn, and we had a rather dismal meal. He noticed my dress when we met, however.
"You have your clothes, then?" he said in his dryest manner.
"Yes, my servant came to arrange the things I needed."
"I don't wish to know," he exclaimed, promptly, with a glance which showed me that he understood I had not been idle.
But after that he scarcely spoke. The girls chattered to me, chiefly making fun of the new governess before her face in the most impudent manner; but I was too busy with my own thoughts to pay much heed.
Something had happened since the General and I had parted; and I was sure it concerned me; so I waited and watched until either he should tell me or I should find it out for myself.
He sent the girls and their governess away almost before they had finished eating, and took me at once into the little salon where we usually played chess.
"Is it a compliment to me that you have arrayed yourself so?" he asked.
In that moment I seemed to guess what was in his thoughts. "It is perhaps a coincidence," I said with a smile.
"Why a coincidence?" He was puzzled.