"Perfectly, monsieur."
"One thing more; I do not pay two hundred francs a month to people to whom anything is impossible. You must perfect yourself if you wish to remain any longer in my service."
"I will do everything to satisfy monsieur, and to prove myself worthy of the confidence with which monsieur honours me." François bowed himself out of the door.
"That is to say," said Giraldi, "you have confided too much in me already to dare to send me away at a moment's notice. It is our misfortune that we cannot live without these creatures. In Machiavelli's time people took the precaution of not letting them live long. In these days one has to pay double without assuring one's safety. Ah! the Count." François had opened the door to Count Golm; the Count entered with hurried steps. He looked out of temper and absent; his attitude and the tone of his voice showed the carelessness of the man of rank, who does not think it worth his while to conceal his dissatisfaction.
"I am sorry to disturb you," he said; "but I will not take up your time for long; I have only come to tell you that in all probability nothing will now come of our bargain."
"I should be sorry for that for your sake, Count," answered Giraldi.
"Why for my sake?"
"We make nothing by the bargain, Count Golm."
"Which is as much as to say that I should gain by it! I should be much obliged, sir, if you would tell me what."
"If the Count, who proposed the bargain, does not know, we cannot pretend to do so."