He did not reply, therefore, but walked up and down the room, seeking in vain some plausible excuse, and suffering perfect agony.  This continued so long, that Maxime, who had of late heard much of diseases of the brain, asked himself if Daniel could possibly have lost his mind.

No; for suddenly his friend stopped before him, and said in a short, sharp tone,—­

“First of all, Maxime, swear that you will never, under any circumstances, say to any human being a word of what I am going to tell you.”

Thoroughly mystified, Brevan raised his hand, and said,—­

“I pledge my word of honor!”

This promise seemed to re-assure Daniel; and, when he thought he had recovered sufficient control over himself, he said,—­

“Some months ago, my dear friend, I heard you telling somebody a horrible story concerning a certain Mrs. Sarah Brandon”—­

“Miss, if you please, not Mrs.”

“Well, it does not matter.  You know her?”

“Certainly.  Everybody knows her.”

Daniel did not notice the extreme self-conceit with which these words were uttered.

“All right, then.  Now, Maxime, I conjure you, by our friendship, tell me frankly what you think of her.  What kind of a woman is this Miss Brandon?”

His features, as well as his voice, betrayed such extreme excitement, that Brevan was almost stunned.  At last he said,—­

“But, my dear fellow, you ask me that in a manner”—­

“I must know the truth, I tell you.  It is of the utmost importance to me.”

Brevan, struck by a sudden thought, touched his forehead, and exclaimed,—­

“Oh, I see!  You are in love with Sarah!”

Daniel would never have thought of such a subterfuge in order to avoid mentioning the name of Count Ville-Handry; but, seeing it thus offered to him, he determined to profit by the opportunity.

“Well, yes, suppose it is so,” he said with a sigh.

Maxime raised his hands to heaven, and said in a tone of painful conviction,—­

“In that case you are right.  You ought to inquire; for you may be close upon a terrible misfortune.”

“Ah, is she really so formidable?”

Maxime shrugged his shoulders, as if he were impatient at being called upon to prove a well-known fact, and said,—­

“I should think so.”

There seemed to be no reason why Daniel should persist in his questions after that.  Those words ought to have been explanation enough.  Nevertheless he said in a subdued voice,—­

“Pray explain, Maxime!  Don’t you know, that, as I lead a very quiet life, I know nothing?”

Brevan, looking more serious than he had ever done, rose and replied, leaning against the mantlepiece,—­