She laughed:

"The only obligation which you took upon yourself was to satisfy my
curiosity."

"It shall be satisfied," he assured her, gravely, "and more fully than you
can possibly imagine."

M. d'Aigleroche was alone. He was smoking his pipe and drinking sherry. He
offered a glass to Renine, who refused.

"Well, Hortense!" he said, in a rather thick voice. "You know that it's
pretty dull here, except in these September days. You must make the most
of them. Have you had a pleasant ride with Renine?"

"That's just what I wanted to talk about, my dear sir," interrupted the
prince.

"You must excuse me, but I have to go to the station in ten minutes, to
meet a friend of my wife's."

"Oh, ten minutes will be ample!"

"Just the time to smoke a cigarette?"

"No longer."

He took a cigarette from the case which M. d'Aigleroche handed to him, lit
it and said: