But now he was face to face with Olivia's lover, Count Victor discovered that he had not the slightest excuse for referring to her who was the only association between them! The lady herself and Mungo Boyd had conveyed a sense of very close conspiracy between all four, but from neither the lady nor any one else in Doom had he any passport to the friendship of this gentleman. It was only for a moment the difficulties of the situation mastered him.
“I have permitted myself, monsieur, to intrude upon you upon an excuse that must seem scandalously inadequate,” said he. “My name is Montaiglon—”
“With the particle, I think?” said Sim MacTaggart.
Count Victor started slightly.
“But yes,” said he, “it is so, though I never march with much baggage, and a De to a traveller is like a second hat. It is, then, that it is perhaps unnecessary to say more of myself?”
The Chamberlain with much bonhomie grasped his hand.
“M. Montaiglon,” said he, “I am very proud to meet you. I fancy a certain lady and I owe something to your consideration, and Simon MacTaggart stands upon no ceremony.”
Count Victor winced slightly at the conjunction, but otherwise he was delighted.
“I am ravished, monsieur!” said he. “Ceremony is like some people's assumption of dignity—the false bottoms they put in their boots to conceal the fact that they are under the average height, is it not?”
Arm in arm they went out in front of the inn and walked along the bay, and the Provost and the Bailies were left mourning for their king.