“There will be none there this evening; not until late at night,” answered the old man.

“And why, pray?”

“Have you forgotten, your Grace, that the first coachman is going to be married, and the Duchess was good enough to say that all might go to the wedding dinner and ball, as long as some one remained at the porter’s lodge?”

After the first outburst, Norbert affected an air of calmness, and laughed at the idea of having permitted himself to be disturbed for so trivial a cause.  But this was mere pretence, for doubt and suspicion had entered his soul, and no power on earth could expel them.  “Why should not my wife be unfaithful to me?” thought Norbert.  “I give her credit for being honorable and right-minded, but then all deceived husbands have the same idea.  Why should I not take advantage of this information, and judge for myself?  But no.  I will not stoop to such an act of baseness.  I should be as infamous as the writer of this letter if I was to play the spy, as she recommends me to do.”  He glanced round, and perceived that his servants were looking at him with undisguised curiosity.

“Go to your work,” said he.  “Extinguish the lights, and see that all the doors and windows are carefully closed.”

He had made up his mind now, and taking out his watch, saw that it was just eight o’clock.  “I have time to reach Paris,” muttered he, “by the appointed time.”  Then he called Jean to him again.  There was no need to conceal anything from this trusty adherent of the house of Champdoce.  “I must start for Paris,” said the Duke, “without an instant’s delay.”

“On account of that letter?” asked the old man with an expression of the deepest sorrow upon his features.

“Yes, for that reason only.”

“Some one has been making false charges against the Duchess.”

“How do you know that?”

“It was easy enough to guess.”

“Have the carriage got ready, and tell the coachman to wait for me in front of the club.  I myself will go on foot.”

“You must not do that,” answered Jean gravely.  “The servants may have conceived the same suspicions as I have.  You ought to creep away without any one being a bit the wiser.  The other domestics need not even suppose that you have left the house.  I can get you a horse out of the little stables without any one being the wiser.  I will wait for you on the other side of the bridge.”

“Good; but remember that I have not a moment to lose.”

Jean left the room, and as he reached the passage Norbert heard him say to one of the servants, “Put some cold supper on the table; the Duke says that he is starving.”

Norbert went into his bedroom, put on a great coat and a pair of high boots, and slipped into his pocket a revolver, the charges of which he had examined with the greatest care.  The night was exceedingly dark, a fine, icy rain was falling, and the roads were very heavy.  Norbert found Jean with the horse at the appointed spot, and as he leaped into the saddle the Duke exclaimed, “Not a soul saw me leave the house.”