At that moment the door was opened wide, and a servant, dressed in a splendid livery, announced—
"His Excellency General Don Zeno Cabral."
The two men exchanged a rapid look of intelligence, and rose to salute the general.
"I am disturbing you, gentlemen?" said the latter, as he entered.
"Not the least in the world, Señor Don Zeno," replied the Frenchman; "on the contrary, we have been waiting for you with the greatest impatience."
"Pardon me for coming a few minutes earlier than the time you deigned to mention for our interview, Monsieur le Duc; but as I knew I should find his Excellency the governor here, I hastened to come, having an important communication to make to him."
"Then you are doubly welcome, dear general," answered Don Eusebio.
The servant brought forward a chair, and withdrew. The conversation, begun in French on account of the difficulty that the duke felt in expressing himself in Spanish, was continued in the same language, which—we will say, in a parenthesis—Don Zeno spoke with remarkable purity.
"You were saying, then, dear Don Zeno," pursued Don Eusebio, when they were seated, "that you have an important communication to make to me?"
"Yes, Monsieur le Gouverneur."