calling?"

"We asked to see your father," said M. Charolais, smiling with broad
amiability, while his eyes danced across her face, avoiding any
meeting with hers. "The footman told us that M. Gournay-Martin was
out, but that his daughter was at home. And we were unable, quite
unable, to deny ourselves the pleasure of meeting you." With that he
sat down; and his son followed his example.

Sonia and Germaine, taken aback, looked at one another in some
perplexity.

"What a fine chateau, papa!" said the young man.

"Yes, my boy; it's a very fine chateau," said M. Charolais, looking
round the hall with appreciative but greedy eyes.

There was a pause.

"It's a very fine chateau, young ladies," said M. Charolais.

"Yes; but excuse me, what is it you have called about?" said
Germaine.

M. Charolais crossed his legs, leant back in his chair, thrust his
thumbs into the arm-holes of his waistcoat, and said: "Well, we've
come about the advertisement we saw in the RENNES ADVERTISER, that
M. Gournay-Martin wanted to get rid of a motor-car; and my son is
always saying to me, 'I should like a motor-car which rushes the
hills, papa.' He means a sixty horse-power."