“What plan?”

“Ah!  That is what I cannot find out, to save my life.  But you may be sure that I am not mistaken.  I want no better evidence of it than the fact that she wrote to me this morning.”

M. de Brevan jumped up, and said,—­

“What!  She has written to you?”

“Yes; it is that accursed letter, more than any thing else, that brings me here.  Here it is, just read it; and, if you can understand it, you are more fortunate than I am.”

At one glance M. de Brevan had read the five lines which Miss Brandon had written; and, turning deadly pale, he said,—­

“This is incomprehensible.  A note, and such an indiscreet note, from her who never writes!”

He looked upon Daniel as if he wished to penetrate his innermost thoughts, and then asked him, weighing his words with the utmost care,—­

“If she should really love you, what would you say?”

Daniel looked disgusted.  He replied,—­“It is hardly generous in you to make sport of me, Maxime.  I may be a fool; but I am not an idiot, to be conceited to that degree.”

“That is no answer to my question,” said Brevan; “and I repeat my question.  What would you say?”

“I would say that I execrate her!”

“Oh! if you hate her so bitterly, you are very near loving her.”

“I despise her; and without esteem”—­

“That is an old story.  That is no impediment.”

“Finally, you know how dearly, how ardently, I love Miss Ville-Handry.”

“Of course; but that is not the same thing.”

M. de Brevan had at last finished his careful toilet.  He put on a dressing-gown; and, carrying Daniel with him into the small room which he used as a dressing-room, he asked,—­

“And what have you said in reply to that note?”

“Nothing.”

M. de Brevan had thrown himself into a comfortable chair, and assumed the careful air of a physician who has been consulted.  He nodded, and said,—­

“You have done well, and for the future I advise you to pursue the same plan.  Don’t say a word.  Can you do any thing to prevent Miss Brandon from carrying out her purposes?  No!  Let her go on, then.”

“But”—­

“Let me finish.  It is not only your own interest to act thus, but also Miss Henrietta’s interest.  The day on which they part you, you will be inconsolable; but you will also be free to act.  She, on the other hand, will be forced to live under the same roof with Miss Brandon; and you do not know what a stepmother can do to torture the child of her husband!”

Daniel trembled.  He had already thought of that; and the idea had made him shudder.  Brevan continued,—­

“For the present, the most important thing is to find out how your flight has been explained.  We may be able to draw our conclusions from what has been said on the subject.”

“I’ll go at once and try to find out,” said Daniel.