And, suddenly, the door opened and Mlle. Destange entered quickly, saying to some one behind her:
"So you have quite changed your mind about going out, father?... In that case, I'll turn on the light.... Wait a minute ... don't move."
The man closed the doors of the cupboard and hid himself in the embrasure of a broad window, drawing the curtains in front of him. How was it that Mlle. Destange did not see him! How was it that she did not hear him? She calmly switched on the electric light and stood back for her father to pass.
They sat down side by side. Mlle. Destange opened a book which she had brought with her and began to read.
"Has your secretary gone?" she said, presently.
"Yes ... so it seems...."
"Are you still satisfied with him?" she continued, as if in ignorance of the real secretary's illness and of the arrival of Stickmann in his stead.
"Quite ... quite...."
M. Destange's head dropped on his chest. He fell asleep.