He had instructed the police to conduct us to his house, where he received us most hospitably.
"Neither of you is related to the Vicomte ?" he said, interrogatively; and we stated our case at once.
"It is well that you did not bring Madame with you," he said.

"You forbade her to come ?" And he looked at me with a keenness which, I trust, impressed the police official for whose benefit it was assumed.
"I begged her to remain in Paris." "Ah!" and he gave a significant laugh.

"However--so long as she is not here." He was a white-faced man, who looked as if he had been dried up by some blanching process.

One could imagine that the heart inside him was white also.

In his own eyes it was evident that he was a vastly clever man.