Castles in the Air

n I once more turned the key in the ou

fling when first I reached the landing outside the door; but when I actually walked into the apartment with an air of quiet unconcern Theodore was sprawling on the chair-

on. And here was I, alone at last, face to face with the future. What a future, my dear Sir! Fate was smiling on me at last. At last I was destined to reap a rich reward for all the skill, the energy, the devotion, which up to this hour I had placed at the service of my country and my King-or my Emperor, as the case might be-without thought of my own advantage. Here was I now in possession of a document-two documents-each one of which was worth at least a

en and some fruit trees, the possession of which would render me happier than any king. . . . I would marry! Oh, yes! I would certainly marry-found a family. I was still young, my dear Sir, and passably good looking. In fact there was a certain young widow, comely and amiable, who lived not far fr

he outer door and I heard Theodore's shuffling footsteps crossing the small anteroom. There was some mu

ee you," he

ith one eye. "Very pretty," he whispered, "but has a young

y business would in future be greatly extended; it would become very important, and I was beginning to detest Theodo

. I rose to greet the lady and invited her to sit down, but I had the annoyance of seeing the personage

he horns of a young goat, on each side of the centre parting. I hated him cordially, and had to control my feelings not to show him the contempt which I felt for his fatuo

was dulcet and adorably tremulous, like the voice of some

replied calmly. "Enti

added, with gentle,

iselle

y," she replied, "M

I met her glance. Something in my own eyes must have spoken with mute eloquence of my distress, for she went on q

eated, which he refused, and finally I myself sat down behind my desk. I now looked with unmixed benevolence o

position indicative of attention and of encouragement, "will

ou. I have been to the police; they cannot-will not-act without I furnish them with certain information which it is not in my power to give them. Then when I was half distraught with despair, a kindly agent there spoke to

d with much dignity. "Once more I beg of you to tel

, "that my sister desires to consult you, but for her fiancé M. de Marsan, who is very ill indeed, hovering, in fa

g, I flatter myself, the slightest trace of that astonishment which,

he importance of which it were impossible to overestimate. The very safety of this country, the honour of our King, are involved in it. I cannot tell you its exact contents, and it is because I would not tell more about it to the police that they would not help me in any way, and referred me to you. How could they, said the chief Commissary to me, run after a document the

d and to bring a smile round those perfect lips, literally made my mouth water in anticipation-for I am sure that you will have guessed, just as I did in a moment, that the valuable document of which this adorable being was speaking, was snugly

, and . . . well . . . I had made up my mind to demand five thousand francs when I handed the document over to my firs

n my most business-like manner, "that th

her eyes, "and M. de Marsan now lies at death's door with a terrible a

n was it sto

cation, followed by cries of 'Murder!' and of 'Help!' and proceeding from the corridor outside his door, caused him to run out of the room in order to see what was happening. The altercation turned out to be between two men who had pushed their way into the buildin

t M. de Marsan was out of the room

e. Geoffroy piteously. "You will

and I are offering ten thousand francs r

ed my eyes. The vision which the lovely

me twenty hours, during which I will move heaven and earth to discover the thief. I will go at once to the Chancellerie and collect what evidence I can. I have worked

he odious Arthur drily, "and my sister and M. de Marsan will still be yo

ner. "If Mademoiselle deigns to present herself here to-mor

actually dancing within my bosom. The future was so entrancing that the present appeared like a dream; the lovely being before me seemed like an angel, an emissary from above come to tell me of the happiness which was in store for me. The house near Chantilly-the little widow-the kitchen garden-the magic words went on hammering in my brain. I longed

two hundred which he had

ed manner. A brief allusion to the inefficiency of present-day servants, a jocose comment on my own simplicity of habits, and the deed was done. M. Arthur Geoffroy and Mademoiselle Madeleine his sister were half-way down the stairs. A quarter of an hour later I was once more out in the streets of Paris. It was a beautiful, balmy night. I had two hundred francs in