"Now for the lie," the baron said to himself. "Let us see what effect it will have."
Then he added aloud:
"You made quite a long stay at the Château de Beaumesnil?"
"I did, as I told you some time ago," responded Olivier, with growing impatience.
"You probably were not aware that Mlle. de Beaumesnil was at the château at the same time that you were."
"Mlle. de Beaumesnil?"
"Yes, monsieur," replied the baron, imperturbably, satisfied that he was lying with true diplomatic ease and assurance; "yes, monsieur, Mlle. de Beaumesnil was at the château while you were there."
"But I was told that the young lady was in a foreign country, monsieur; besides, I saw no one at the château."
"That does not surprise me at all, monsieur. The fact is, Mlle. de Beaumesnil wished to spend the early days of her mourning for her mother at this château, and as she desired complete solitude, every one on the estate was requested to keep her arrival a profound secret."
"Then it is not strange that I should have been ignorant of it, particularly as I stayed in the house of the steward, quite a little distance from the château. But once more, let me ask—"