In a minute or so she reappeared. “Her master’s compliments, and would I be so obliging as to say what my business was?”

“Take my compliments back,” I replied, “and say that the business cannot be mentioned to anyone but your master.” She left me again, again returned, and this time asked me to walk in.

I followed her at once. In another moment I was inside the Count’s house.

There was no lamp in the hall, but by the dim light of the kitchen candle, which the girl had brought upstairs with her, I saw an elderly lady steal noiselessly out of a back room on the ground floor. She cast one viperish look at me as I entered the hall, but said nothing, and went slowly upstairs without returning my bow. My familiarity with Marian’s journal sufficiently assured me that the elderly lady was Madame Fosco.

The servant led me to the room which the Countess had just left. I entered it, and found myself face to face with the Count.