After a slow drive with a lame horse I reached my club, where I
attended to a small matter, and then, as the rain was over, walked to
my rooms. A bath and a change of garments left me free to consider the
adventure and its too probable results. What was meant by the affair?
It was really a somewhat bewildering business.
I looked at the count's card. His name was, as I have said, somewhat
unfamiliar, although it was part of duty at our legation to learn all
I could in the upper social life of Paris where, at this time, we had
few friends and many foes. If, still unsatisfied, he chose to look up
my driver, I felt that the man would readily tell all he knew. The
count had said I was in the affair. A confederate? What affair? I
could not--indeed, I did not mean to--explain how I came to be with
the woman, nor to admit that there was a woman concerned. There had
been, however, enough to make me sure that in that case I might have
to face a duel, and that the next day I should hear from this angry
gentleman. But who was my handsome and terrified companion, and what
was the affair?
To refuse to meet him would be social ruin and would seriously affect
my usefulness, as I was the only attache who spoke French with entire
ease, and it was, as I said, a part of my duty to learn at the clubs
and in society the trend of opinion in regard to the war with the
rebel States. I could do nothing but wait. I was the victim of
circumstances and of an embarrassing situation not of my making, and
in regard to which I could offer no explanation. There was nothing
left for me except to see what the morning would bring.
I dined that evening with my chief, but of course said nothing of my
adventure. On my return home I found Alphonse.
"Well," I said, "what the deuce became of you?"
"I dived into the edge of the wood, and after hearing what passed I
considered that you might desire to know who the lady was."
"Yes, I did--I do."
"I overtook her very easily, and as she seemed quite lost, I said I
was your servant. When I had set her on the avenue she wanted to find,
she said I might go, and gave me a napoleon, and I was to thank you."
"Did you follow her?"
"No; she seemed to want to go on alone. I hope monsieur approves."
"I do."
There was a curious delicacy about this which was explained when he
added: "She is quite sure to let monsieur hear of her again. I
ventured to mention your name."
The point of view was Parisian enough, but I contented myself with a
further word of satisfaction, although I had my doubts as to whether
his theory would fit the case of my handsome countrywoman.
As I rose, about to go to bed, I said to Alphonse: "You will find in
my card-case the card and address of Captain Merton. I shall want you
to take a note to him in the morning."
He came back with the case in his hand and said: "I saw you take out a
card, sir, when we were at 12 Rue du Roi de Rome. You looked at it and
put it back in the case. It is not there now, nor in any of your
pockets, but I remember the address. Perhaps--" and he paused.
"Perhaps what?"
"You gave the very angry gentleman a card."
"Nonsense!" I returned. "Look again." I could see, by the faint smile
and the slight uplift of the brow, that my valet appreciated the
situation. He was gone for at least ten minutes. Meanwhile I sat
still, more and more sure that I had made one of those blunders which
might bear unpleasant interpretations. At length, impatient, I joined
Alphonse in his search. It was vain. He stood at last facing me with a
pair of pantaloons on one arm, a coat on the other, all the pockets
turned inside out.
"Monsieur--circumstances--I mean it is to be feared--I have looked
everywhere."
"It is incredible," said I.
"But the night, monsieur, and the storm, and the count, who was not
polite."
He was sorry for me and perfectly understood what had happened. Yes,
undoubtedly I had given the count Captain Merton's card. I said as
much while Alphonse stood still with a look in which his constant
sense of the comic contended for expression with his desire to
sympathize in what he was shrewd enough to know was, for me, that form
of the socially tragic which has for its catastrophe ridicule.
I went back to my salon and sat down to reflect on the consequences of
my mishap. Of course, it was easy to set the matter right, but what a
muddle! I must make haste in the morning to correct my blunder.
Desirous to be on time, about ten the next morning I called on the
count. He had gone out. At the Foreign Office I again failed to find
him. I was told that he had gone to his club for breakfast, but would
be back very shortly. I waited a half-hour and then tried the club. He
had left. Remembering that I had said I should be at home from eleven
to twelve, I looked at my watch and saw, to my annoyance, that it was
close to noon. I had hoped to anticipate the call of the count's
seconds on Merton. I felt sure, however, that the captain would simply
deny any share in my adventure, and that a word or a note from me to
the count would set things straight. Although I regretted the delay my
vain pursuit of the count had caused, a little reflection put me at
ease, and calling a cab, I drove to Captain Merton's. I was so
fortunate as to find him at home. As I entered he threw on the table a
number of letters and made me welcome with a certain cordiality which
in its manner had both refinement and the open-air frankness of a
dweller in camps.
I liked him from the first, and being myself a small man, envied the
six feet one of well-knit frame, and was struck with a way he had of
quick backward head movement when the large blue eyes considered you
with smiling attention. My first impression was that nothing as
embarrassing as the absurd situation in which my blunder might have
placed him could as yet have fallen upon this tranquil gentleman.
There was therefore no occasion for haste.
We talked pleasantly of home, the war, my uncle, and Paris, and I was
about to mention my mistake in regard to his card when he said rather
abruptly:
"I should like you to advise me as to a rather odd affair--if not too
late for advice.
"About eleven to-day, the Baron la Garde and a Colonel St. Pierre
called upon me on the part of a certain Count le Moyne. The baron
explained that, as a lady was involved, it would be better if it were
supposed that we had quarreled at cards. As you may imagine, I rather
surprised, and asked what he meant. He replied, and not very
pleasantly, that I must know, as I had given my card to the count and
said I should be at home from eleven to twelve. I said: 'Pardon me,
gentlemen, but there is some mistake. I do not know Count le Moyne,
and I never saw him. As to my card--I have given no one my card.' I
was, of course, very civil and quiet in my denial, and the more so
because the baron's manner was far from agreeable.
"Then the baron, to my amazement, handed me my own card, saying, 'Do
we understand you to say that last night, in the Bois de Boulogne, you
did not give Count le Moyne your card?'
"Now I am at times, Mr. Greville, short of temper, and the supply was
giving out. I checked myself, however, and said as calmly as possible:
'Really, gentlemen, this is rather absurd. I was at home last night. I
never saw or heard of your count, and you will be so good as to accept
for him my absolute denial.'
"Upon this the baron said, 'It appears to us that you contradict
flatly the statement of our principal, a man of the highest character,
and that we are therefore forced to suppose that you are endeavoring
to escape the consequence of having last night insulted the count.'
"Before I could reply, the other man--the colonel--remarked in a
casual way that there was only one word to characterize my conduct.
Here I broke in--but, for a wonder, kept myself in hand.
"I said: 'This has gone far enough. Count le Moyne has rather
imprudent friends. Some one has played me and your principal a trick.
At all events, I am not the man.'
"'Monsieur,' said the colonel, 'so you still deny--'
"'Wait a little,' said I. 'I allow no man to doubt my word. But let us
be clear as to this. Am I to understand that the language now used to
me represents the instructions of the count?'
"By George! the colonel said, 'Yes.' They really believed me to be
lying. I had gotten past any desire to explain or contradict, and so I
replied that it was all damn nonsense, but that I had supposed French
gentlemen were on these occasions courteous.
"You should have seen the baron. He is as tall as I am, and must weigh
two hundred and fifty pounds. He got red and said that if it were not
for his principal's prior claim on me, he should himself at once call
me to account. I replied sweetly that need not interfere, for that,
after I had killed the count, I should be most glad to accommodate his
friend. He did seem a bit amazed."
V