"I much prefer it--much. Do let us make haste!"

She snatched up her sealskin jacket, and held it to him prettily,
that he might help her into it, which he did neatly and cleverly,
smoothing her great puffed-out sleeves under each shoulder of the
coat, still talking eagerly and taking no toll for his trouble as
she stood patiently, passively before him.

"And this Hortense? It is your maid, is it not--the woman who had
taken herself off? How comes it that she is with that Italian
fellow? Upon my soul, I don't understand--not a little bit."

"I cannot explain that, either. It is most strange, most
incomprehensible, but we shall soon know. Please, Charles, please
do not get impatient."

They passed together down into the hotel courtyard and across it,
under the archway which led past the clerk's desk into the street.

On seeing them, he came out hastily and placed himself in front,
quite plainly barring their egress.

"Oh, madame, one moment," he said in a tone that was by no means
conciliatory. "The manager wants to speak to you; he told me to
tell you, and stop you if you went out."

"The manager can speak to madame when she returns," interposed the
General angrily, answering for the Countess.

"I have had my orders, and I cannot allow her--"