“Is it quite out of the way of every one?”
“Very far, sir.”
“So that one would be quite alone? No one could hear anything that went on there?”
The concierge did not half like this, but winter was coming on and a pavilion in the middle of a large garden was difficult to let.
“I will take it for three months, here is the rent in advance and a louis besides. Keep the key. I will come in this evening. If any friends arrive before, take them there and ask them to wait till I come.”
“Monsieur has forgotten to tell me his name.”
“Name! Oh! my name is the devil,” and he hurried away.
After dark a man wrapped in a great cloak, under which he carried some large thing, his hat pulled over his eyes, rang and said “The Devil.”
The pavilion was pointed out, and several others followed, all with cloaks concealing more large objects.