"Yes, yes," cried the General, angrily cutting short all
references to the weather and the number of English visitors in
Paris. "But be so good as to let Madame la Comtesse know that I
have called."

"Ah, to be sure! I came to tell Monsieur le Général that madame
will hardly be able to see him. She is indisposed, I believe. At
any rate, she does not receive to-day."

"As to that, we shall see. I will take no answer except direct
from her. Take or send up my card without further delay. I insist!
Do you hear?" said the General, so fiercely that the manager
turned tail and fled up-stairs.

Perhaps he yielded his ground the more readily that he saw over
the General's shoulder the figure of Galipaud the detective
looming in the archway. It had been arranged that, as it was not
advisable to have the inspector hanging about the courtyard of the
hotel, the clerk or the manager should keep watch over the
Countess and detain any visitors who might call upon her. Galipaud
had taken post at a wine-shop over the way, and was to be summoned
whenever his presence was thought necessary.

There he was now, standing just behind the General, and for the
present unseen by him.

But then a telegraph messenger came in and up to the desk. He held
the usual blue envelope in his hand, and called out the name on
the address: