"Have you written that? Now sign it with your full name."

"What use are you going to make of this paper?"

"I should have told you before, if I had desired you to know. Any
questions are quite useless. I don't enjoin secrecy on you, however,"
added the notary, as he folded the paper and put it into his doublet
pocket. "You are quite free to tell anyone you like that you have
written the description of the Chevalier de Moranges at the dictation of
an unknown man, who got into your room you don't know how, by the chimney
or through the ceiling perhaps, but who was determined to leave it by a
more convenient road. Is there not a secret staircase? Show me where it
is. I don't want to meet anyone on my way out."

Angelique pointed out a door to him hidden by a damask curtain, and
Quennebert saluting her, opened it and disappeared, leaving Angelique
convinced that she had seen the devil in person. Not until the next day
did the sight of the displaced partition explain the apparition, but even
then so great was her fright, so deep was the terror which the
recollection of the mysterious man inspired, that despite the permission
to tell what had happened she mentioned her adventure to no one, and did
not even complain to her neighbour, Madame Rapally, of the
inquisitiveness which had led the widow to spy on her actions.




CHAPTER VI