On waking, Don Stenio quite forgot all about the stranger; it so often happened that he was disturbed for nothing by people who declared they had urgent matters to discuss with him, that he did not attach the slightest importance to their requests for an audience, and the usher's words had completely slipped his memory.
At the time when he entered the room where he usually granted his audiences, and which at this moment was quite empty, the usher presented himself again.
"What do you want?" he asked him.
"Excellency," the usher replied with a respectful bow, "the man has returned."
"What man?"
"The man who came this morning."
"Oh yes, well, what does he want?" the Count continued, who did not know what all this was about.
"He desires, my lord, that you will do him the honour of receiving him, as he states that he has matters of the utmost gravity to tell you."
"Ah, very good, I remember now; it is the same man you announced this morning."
"Yes, Excellency, the same."