'We shall see, my dear,' she replied, with an air of mock contrition.
'Adieu, Madame!'
'You are going to Monsieur Ruthyn?—very good!'
I made her no answer, but more agitated than I cared to show her, I left the room. I hurried along the twilight passage, and turned into the long gallery that opened from it at right angles. I had not gone half-a-dozen steps on my return when I heard a heavy tread and a rustling behind me.
'I am ready, my dear; I weel accompany you,' said the smirking phantom, hurrying after me.
'Very well,' was my reply; and threading our way, with a few hesitations and mistakes, we reached and descended the stairs, and in a minute more stood at my uncle's door.
My uncle looked hard and strangely at us as we entered. He looked, indeed, as if his temper was violently excited, and glared and muttered to himself for a few seconds; and treating Madame to a stare of disgust, he asked peevishly—
'Why am I disturbed, pray?'
'Miss Maud a Ruthyn, she weel explain,' replied Madame, with a great courtesy, like a boat going down in a ground swell.
'Will you explain, my dear?' he asked, in his coldest and most sarcastic tone.