The visitor was neither of these gentlemen,
but M. Ferdinand de Coralth in person. Prudence had compelled the
viscount to leave Madame d'Argeles's card-party one of the last,
but as soon as he was out of the house he had rushed to the
Marquis de Valorsay's to hold a conference with him, far from
suspecting that he was followed, and that an auxiliary of Pascal
Ferailleur and Mademoiselle Marguerite was even then waiting for
him below--an enemy as formidable as he was humble--Victor Chupin.
At sight of the man who had so long been his model--the friend who
had advised what he styled his blunder--Wilkie was so surprised
that he almost dropped his lamp. Then as his wrath kindled, "Ah!
so it's you!" he exclaimed, angrily. "You come at a good time!"
But M. de Coralth was too much exasperated to notice Wilkie's
strange greeting. Seizing him roughly by the arm, and closing the
door with a kick, he dragged Wilkie back into the little drawing-
room. "Yes, it's I," he said, curtly. "It's I--come to inquire
if you have gone mad?"
"Viscount!"
"I can find no other explanation of your conduct! What! You choose
Madame d'Argeles's reception day, and an hour when there are fifty
guests in her drawing-room to present yourself!"
"Ah, well! it wasn't from choice. I had been there twice before,
and had the doors shut in my face."
"You ought to have gone back ten times, a hundred times, a
thousand times, rather than have accomplished such an idiotic
prank as this.
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