Madame d’Espaze held up both her slim hands. “No thanks, Monsieur, I beg. But instead of them, tell me, since you are so clear-sighted, how I am to set about this business of Monsieur le Vicomte?”
And under her malicious gaze Château-Foix had the certain conviction that she meant to see how he would avoid saying in so many words: “You have but to ask your lover for his release.” He began a careful phrase full of generalities about influence, but ere he had finished it she seemed to have lost interest in the reply to her question, and he stopped and looked at her, as she stood in the middle of the white and gold room with her head bent and a hand to her cheek. It seemed to him quite a long time that she stood thus, till she said reflectively: “Yes, I think I can do it. It will not be easy, however. You shall have an order of release to-day if I can possibly procure it. Do I know where you are staying?”
The Marquis told her.
“There is one condition—one thing you must promise me—both for Louis’ sake and . . . that of others. Once he is out of prison he must leave Paris immediately.”
It was the least that could be expected, and a condition that did not displease Gilbert at all—or would not have done so two days ago. “I promise it on my honour,” he said. “What can I do—what can I possibly do—to show my gratitude?”
The Comtesse spread out her hands. “You can keep a better eye on your scapegrace of a cousin,” she said lightly. “I make him over to you. . . . Next time, too, that you are in Paris, my friend, come and see me on your own account. You have just seen how amenable I am to good influence.” She floated nearer to him, and gave him her hand, bare of rings and incredibly small and white.
Gilbert raised it to his lips. “I shall be only too happy, Comtesse. There is no means by which I can thank you sufficiently.”
“You have only yourself to thank, M. de Château-Foix, for I assure you that I have not that good heart to which I have been afraid you would refer. Yet if it is any consolation to you, Marquis, reflect that, in this changing world, I may some day be needing help from you. . . . But that is not why I am your ally now.” She smiled at him charmingly.
CHAPTER XV
HAPPY REUNION OF TWO KINSMEN
“Come through, come through, Lieutenant Gordon