Why?
And these two women alone in this old chateau, a house party.

There lay below all this some deep design.
Should he warn his friend?
Indeed, as yet, of what had he to warn him?
To discover Madame to Fitzgerald would be to close the entrance to this labyrinth which he desired to explore.

How would Madame act, now that she knew he possessed her secret?
Into many channels he passed, but all these were blind, and led him to no end.

Madame had a purpose; to discover what this purpose was Fitzgerald must remain in ignorance.

What a woman! She resembled one of those fabulous creatures of medieval days.
And why was the countess on the scene, and what was her part in this invisible game?
He finished his cigar and lit another; but the second cigar solved no more than the first.