"Will you take in my card to Monsieur Nanteuil? I should be glad to have a few minutes' talk with him."
The attendant bowed.
"On a personal matter, monsieur?"
"A personal matter?... Yes."
Jérôme Fandor wanted to interview the Barbey-Nanteuils on the subject of the recent occurrences, which had roused Paris opinion to the highest degree—mysterious occurrences on which no light seemed to have been thrown so far.... Not only were the Barbey-Nanteuils the bankers of the Baroness de Vibray, but they had been present at Thomery's ball, when the attack on Princess Sonia Danidoff had taken place.... Would they allow themselves to be interviewed? Fandor decided that they certainly would, for they were business men, and was he not going to give them a free advertisement?
The attendant—a stately individual—returned.
"Monsieur Nanteuil is sorry he cannot see you, he is taking the chair at an important committee meeting; but Monsieur Barbey will see you for a few minutes, that is to say, if he will do instead of Monsieur Nanteuil."
"In that case, I will see Monsieur Barbey," said Fandor, rising.
Following the attendant, Fandor traversed the whole length of the bank, and passing the half-open door of Monsieur Nanteuil's office—the name on the door told him this—he noticed that it was empty.
Monsieur Barbey received him coldly and with a solemn bow. Fandor's reply was a pleasant smile.