"Has monsieur swum all the way from England?" asked the girl, evidently to show that she recognized his way of speaking French.
"Mademoiselle mistakes, doubtless for the first time in her life," said Dick. "I am an American, and if I have not swum all the way from America, I am at least as wet as if I had."
"Monsieur is indeed a veritable rain-storm. Alphonse, show monsieur to a room where he may dry his clothes. If he went home in them as they are, he might catch cold,—America is some distance away. You may leave me alone,—yonder comes Monsieur Marmontel."
The footman, resigning to her the parasol at a gesture, immediately led Dick, over gravel walks flanked by lime-trees and foliage, to a side entrance of the handsome house, and thence up-stairs to a chamber, in which another servant soon started a fire. After taking off his clothes to dry them, Dick donned a dressing-gown brought him by the footman. The chamber having been placed entirely at his service, he made use of its toilet articles to restore his best appearance. This done, and his clothes dried, he put them on again, and went out the way he had come, looking around, when he reached the front of the house, for some one to thank.
"The weather has changed as to monsieur," came a voice from a clump of shrubs, and the girl stepped into view, attended, as before, by the footman.
"It is true, mademoiselle. I no longer weep tears of Seine water. Instead, I smile in my heart with gratitude. May I know to whom my thanks are due? I am—"
"No, no, do not say who you are! One is far more interesting who remains unknown, and I am dying to meet an interesting person."
"I am sure mademoiselle would remain interesting, even if I knew her name."
"No, for as long as you don't know me I shall be just as interesting to you as your imagination can make me. Besides, the luxury of being unknown, at St. Ouen, where everybody knows me, is refreshing. It makes me seem another person."
She had led the way farther from the château while talking, and now she sat down on a rustic bench, and motioned Alphonse to take away the parasol. Dick saw no reason for an immediate departure, so he stood behind the bench, looking now at the girl, now at the large trees on the terrace.