ht, very right," said the Count. "Well, at least you remain
to play a game of chess with me. What I am thinking is, the man must
have had some private reason for obtaining entrance to my house."

"Possibly, Monsieur," I replied, bearing the searching gaze of both the
Count and the Captain well enough.

"In that case, he made a tool of you," added the Count, still intent on
my expression.

"That would be the inference," said I.

"Well, we must satisfy ourselves as to how he took his departure, if we
cannot guess why. Make yourself master of the house, Monsieur. We shall
have our game nevertheless."

And he went off with the Captain, to examine the places of exit from the
chateau and the men who were responsible for their security. One could
see that Monsieur de Pepicot's disappearance was as disturbing to the
Count as it was puzzling to me.

I wandered out to the terrace and paced the walk along the house. My
eyes turned toward that window in the west wing which I knew to belong
to the apartments of the Countess. I turned along the wing, and strolled
under that window, thinking Madame or Mathilde might make an appearance
at it. I kept moving to and fro within easy earshot of it, sometimes
glancing up at the half-open casement. This was the clay on which the
poor lady's fate was to be determined by her husband and lord. I
wondered what sort of scene was arranged for the event, whether it would
have the form of trial and judgment, when and where it would occur, and
if I should be admitted to it. Probably I should not, and therefore I
would best speak to the Count regarding Monsieur de Merri before. The
thing was, to find a pretext for broaching the matter without betraying
that I had talked with the Countess. I had thought all this over during
the night, a hundred times, but now I thought it over again; and, in
vague search for some hint or guidance, I looked often up to the window,
as I have said.

Presently I heard a single sharp, low syllable of laughter, which drew
my glance to the door by which I had come out to the terrace. There
stood the red Captain, his eyes upon me. When he saw that I noticed him,
he came toward me, whereupon I, with pretended carelessness, went to
meet him half way.

"You seem to find it very interesting, that window," said he, in a low
voice. "To me it looks like any of the others." And he ran his glance
ironically along the whole range.

"I thought you had gone with the Count to lea