"Oh, yes; he is well."
"Then all is well."
"Is it? That remains to be shown. He will be home to-morrow at supper time."
"Then all is well, indeed. The best of news!"
Delighted as she was, a pang shot through the heart of the marquise, in that the absent one had elected to communicate with his brother rather than his wife.
"Do you know?" she remarked with a smile, "that I am quite jealous. He ought to have written to me."
"I suppose he had the decency to be ashamed, and so left it to me to smooth the way for him. There is something here which I doubt your liking. It was wrong--very, very wrong--not to have first consulted you."
"What is it? Let me know, without all this parley. You torture me!"
"Well, the prodigal returns to-morrow--but not alone."
"I know that. He had full permission to hire an assistant. Are there more? He is welcome to bring his friends."