It was a lady, who, without saying a word, swiftly walked in, and as promptly shut the door behind her.
Although she was wrapped up in a huge cloak which completely hid her figure, in spite of the very thick veil before her face, Daniel recognized her at once.
“Miss Brandon!” he exclaimed.
In the meantime she had raised her veil, “Yes, it is I,” she replied, “risking another calumny in addition to all the others that have been raised against me, Daniel.”
Amazed at a step which seemed to him the height of imprudence, he remained standing in the anteroom, and did not even think of inviting Miss Brandon to go into the next room, his study.
She went in of her own accord, quite aloof; and, when he had followed her, she said to him,—
“I came, sir, to ask you what you have done with that promise you gave me the other night at my house?”
She waited a moment; and, as he did not reply, she went on,—
“Come, I see you are like all men, if they pledge their word to another man, who is a match for them, they consider it a point of honor to keep it, but if it is a woman, then they do not keep it, and boast of it!”
Daniel was furious; but she pretended not to see it, and said more coldly,—