“My husband will congratulate me on the pleasure I have, and have long desired, of making your acquaintance, and he will grieve that he has not been so fortunate; he is on service in Africa. My brother, I need not say, will deplore the mischance which has prevented him from welcoming you. I have telegraphed to him; he is at one of the Baths in Germany, and will come assuredly, if there is a prospect of finding you here. None? Supposing my telegram not to fall short of him, I may count on his being here within four days.”
Beauchamp begged her to convey the proper expressions of his regret to M. le Marquis.
“And M. de Croisnel? And Roland, your old comrade and brother-in-arms? What will be their disappointment!” she said.
“I intend to stop for an hour at Rouen on my way back,” said Beauchamp.
She asked if her belle-soeur was aware of the short limitation of his visit.
He had not mentioned it to Madame la Marquise.
“Perhaps you may be moved by the grief of a friend: Renée may persuade you to stay.”
“I came imagining I could be of some use to Madame la Marquise. She writes as if she were telegraphing.”
“Perfectly true of her! For that matter, I saw the letter. Your looks betray a very natural jealousy; but seeing it or not it would have been the same: she and I have no secrets. She was, I may tell you, strictly unable to write more words in the letter. Which brings me to inquire what impression M. d’Henriel made on you yesterday evening.”
“He is particularly handsome.”