Don Luiz knew nothing about it, he wished himself with the devil. He took a pen, and, asking my pardon, wrote a few words to his cousin, then he gave the note to the lackey. Again we resumed our interrupted talk. But again we were disturbed for a third time. Now it was Don Luiz's valet who opened the door, and announced "Madame la marquise!" Madame de Pënâfiel was dressed in a street costume, as if she were just going out. We rose, and I bowed respectfully.
"Really, my dear cousin," said she to the old chevalier, acknowledging my bow with a polite but very cold smile, "really I must want my album very badly to be willing to enter your alchemist's den; but I am sure you must have those drawings, and I am going out and would like to take them to Madame de ——, as I promised her I would, for I always try to keep my engagements."
There were new protestations on Don Luiz's part. He was sure he had returned the book. New researches took place, which led to nothing except my presentation to Madame de Pënâfiel by the chevalier.
It was impossible for me to say anything else but that I had long desired this honour, to which commonplace remark she answered, in a lofty way, that she received on Saturdays, but that she was always at home Wednesdays en prima-sera, and hoped I would not forget to come.
To this I replied by another bow, and the usual phrase, that it was too great a favour to be forgotten.
Then the chevalier offered her his arm to her carriage, which was waiting under the porte-cochère, and she drove off.
I never knew whether the chevalier was her accomplice in that forced presentation.
As I have said, Saturday was the day of general reception at the Hôtel de Pënâfiel, but Wednesday was the marquise's day of prima-sera. On these evenings she only received until ten or eleven o'clock the few friends who came to call before going to more formal entertainments elsewhere.
The next day but one would be one of these Wednesdays; I awaited it impatiently.
I forgot to say that I sent M. de Cernay the same day the two hundred louis that he had won.