“You at my house, Monsieur Didier, and at such an early hour! This is very kind of you. Come in, messieurs; the proprietor of the Tower is happy to welcome you to his manor house.”
“Thanks for your cordial welcome, monsieur,” replied Edmond, taking the hand that Paul offered him. “But we have only a few moments, and I have come to ask you to do me a favor.”
“A favor! I am entirely at your service. But I supposed that another motive brought you here, I thought—Have you not seen Mademoiselle Agathe since yesterday?”
“Oh, no! and it is most important that she and Madame Dalmont should not know of our visit to you.”
“Pardon me, monsieur,” said Freluchon, throwing himself upon a chair, “but although he is in such a hurry, I will ask your permission to rest a bit. He has made me run almost all the way, and it’s a long distance from Chelles; I am used up.”
“Make yourselves at home, messieurs.—But speak, Monsieur Edmond; what you have just said makes me anxious.”
“Monsieur, Freluchon and myself both went last night to a party given by Monsieur and Madame de Belleville.”
“I know it.”
“I didn’t go until quite late in the evening.”
“But I dined there—which doesn’t mean that I am not very hungry this morning.”