"If that is so," the man said, after some hesitation, "I prefer to speak the truth, for my good name is more to me than my situation. Somebody was in my master's apartments yesterday."
"And this somebody was...?"
"A lady."
"A lady of his acquaintance?"
The valet did not reply for some time.
"It must come out," he said at length. "My master keeps a woman—you understand, sir, a pretty, fair woman; and he has furnished a house for her and goes to see her, but secretly of course, for if my mistress were to find it out, there would be a terrible scene. This person was with him yesterday."
"Were they alone?"
"I showed her in, and she was in his bedroom with him; but I had to call him out after a short time, as his confidential clerk wanted to speak to him, and so she was in the room alone for about a quarter of an hour."
"What is her name?"
"Cæcelia K——; she is a Hungarian." At the same time the valet gave him her address.