not left
madame's apartment a moment too soon. The last thing I desired,
having so much on my hands, was to embroil myself with a stranger, and
accordingly I quickened my pace, hoping to meet him so near the foot
of the stairs as to leave him in doubt whether I had been visiting the
upper or lower part of the house. The staircase was dark, however, and
being familiar with it, he had the advantage over me. He came leaping up
two steps at a time, and turning the angle abruptly, surprised me before
I was clear of the upper flight.

On seeing me, he stopped short and stared; thinking at first, I fancy,
that he ought to recognise me. When he did not, he stood back a pace.
'Umph!' he said. 'Have you been--have you any message for me, sir?'

'No,' I said, 'I have not.'

He frowned. 'I am M. de Bruhl,' he said.

'Indeed?' I muttered, not knowing what else to say.

'You have been--'

'Up your stairs, sir? Yes. In error,' I answered bluntly.

He gave a kind of grunt at that, and stood aside, incredulous and
dissatisfied, yet uncertain how to proceed. I met his black looks with
a steady countenance, and passed by him, becoming aware, however, as I
went on down the stairs that he had turned and was looking after me. He
was a tall, handsome man, dark, and somewhat ruddy of complexion, and
was dressed in the extreme of Court fashion, in a suit of myrtle-green
trimmed with sable. He carried also a cloak lined with the same on his
arm. Beyond looking back when I reached the street, to see that he did
not follow me, I thought no more of him. But we were to meet again, and
often. Nay, had I then known all that was to be known I would have gone
back and--But of that in another place.

The Rue de Valois, to which a tradesman, who was peering cautiously out
of his shop, directed me, proved to be one of the main streets of
the city, narrow and dirty, and darkened by overhanging eaves and
signboards, but full of noise and bustle. One end of it opened on the
PARVIS of the Cathedral; the other and quieter end appeared to abut on
the west gate of the town. Feeling the importance of avoiding notice in
the neighbourhood of the house I sought, I strolled into the open space
in front of the Cathedral, and accosting two men who stood talking
there, learned that the Ruelle d'Arcy was the third lane on the right
of the Rue de Valois, and some little distance along it. Armed with this
information I left them, and with my head bent down, and my