'
'Monsieur,' replied Mr. White with a smile, 'the introduction is not
necessary, and the pleasure and honour are mine. Unless I am very much
mistaken, this is Monsieur Valmont of Paris?'
'Late of Paris,' I corrected.
'Are you no longer in Government service then?'
'For a little more than ten years I have been a resident of London.'
'What, and have never let me know? That is something the diplomatists
call an unfriendly act, monsieur. Now, shall we return to my office,
or go to a cafe?'
'To your office, if you please, Mr. White. I come on rather important
business.'
Entering his private office the merchant closed the door, offered me a
chair, and sat down himself by his desk. From the first he had
addressed me in French, which he spoke with an accent so pure that it
did my lonesome heart good to hear it.
'I called upon you half a dozen years ago,' he went on, 'when I was
over in Paris on a festive occasion, where I hoped to secure your
company, but I could not learn definitely whether you were still with
the Government or not.'
'It is the way of the French officialism,' I replied. 'If they knew my
whereabouts they would keep the knowledge to themselves.'
'Well, if you have been ten years in London, Monsieur Valmont, we may
now perhaps have the pleasure of claiming you as an Englishman; so I
beg you will accompany us on another festive occasion to Paris next
week.
Pages:
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96