"I have received an offer, your excellency," he answered with a
crafty look.
"What! To leave my service?" I exclaimed, in surprise.
"No, your excellency," he answered. "To do a service for
another--M. Pimentel. The Portuguese gentleman stopped me in the
street to-day, and offered me fifty crowns."
"To do what?" I asked.
"To tell him where the young lady with Madame lies; and lend him
the key of the garden gate to-night."
I stared at the fellow. "The young lady with Madame?" I said.
He returned my look with a stupidity which I knew was assumed.
"Yes, your excellency. The young lady who came this morning," he
said.
Then I knew that I had been betrayed, and had given my enemies
such a handle as they would not be slow to seize; and I stood in
the middle of the room in the utmost grief and consternation. At
last, "Stay here," I said to the man, as soon as I could speak.
"no not move from the spot where you stand until I come back!"
It was my almost invariable custom to be announced when I visited
my wife's closet; but I had no mind now for such formalities, and
swiftly passing two or three scared servants on the stairs, I
made straight for her room, tapped and entered.
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