that you do not find me congenial." "Neither congenial nor uncongenial. I don't really know you." "If you really knew me, you'd have confidence in me." "I don't think so," she said. "Why?" She took his hand, turned it over, bent over the open palm, and as she examined it said slowly: "Dissipation.... Greedy for money.... Conscienceless...." "But I protest, mademoiselle! Conscienceless? I? I who am full of scruples." "Your hand says the opposite, monsieur." "Does it also say that I have no luck?" "None at all." "What? Shan't I ever be rich?" "I fear not." "Confound it.... And what about my death? Is it a long way off?" "Not very." "A painful death?" "A matter of seconds." "An accident, then?" "Yes." "What kind of accident?" She pointed with her finger: "Look here--at the base of the fore-finger." "What is there?" "The gallows." There was an outburst of laughter. D'Estreicher was enchanted. Count Octave clapped his hands. "Bravo, mademoiselle, the gallows for this old libertine; it must be that you have the gift of second sight. So I shall not hesitate...." He consulted his wife with a look of inquiry and continued: "So I shall not hesitate to tell you...." "To tell me," finished Dorothy mischievously, "the reasons for which you invited me to tea." The Count protested: "Not at all, mademoiselle. We invited you to tea solely for the pleasure of becoming acquainted with you." "And perhaps a little from the desire to appeal to my skill as a sorceress." The Countess Octave interposed: "Ah, well, yes, Mademoiselle. Your final announcement excited our curiosity. Moreover, I will confess that we haven't much belief in things of this kind and that it is rather out of curiosity that we should like to ask you certain questions." "If you have no faith in my poor skill, madame, we'll let that pass, and all the same I'll manage to gratify your curiosity.""By what means?" "Merely by reflecting on your words." "What?" said the Countess. "No magnetic passes? No hypnotic sleep?" "No, madame--at least not for the present. Later on we'll see."

Only keeping Saint-Quentin with her, she told the children to go and play in the garden. Then she sat down and said: "I'm listening, madame." "Just like that? Perfectly simply?" "Perfectly simply." "Well, then, mademoiselle----" The Countess spoke in a tone the carelessness of which was not perhaps absolutely sincere. "Well, then, mademoiselle, you spoke of forgotten dungeons and ancient stones and hidden treasures. Now, the Château de Roborey is several centuries old. It has undoubtedly been the scene of adventures and dramas; and it would amuse us to know whether any of its inhabitants have by any chance left in some out-of-way corner one of these fabulous treasures of which you spoke."

 Prev. P 20/202 next