He felt in the fair stranger an interest new to his existence.
They entered the little cafe, and in a few minutes Lemercier, with the easy savoir vivre of a Parisian, had extracted from the garcon as much as probably any one in the neighbourhood knew of the inhabitants of the villa.
It had been hired and furnished about two months previously in the name of Signora Venosta; but, according to the report of the servants, that lady appeared to be the gouvernante or guardian of a lady much younger, out of whose income the villa was rented and the household maintained.
It was for her the coupe was hired from Paris.

The elder lady very rarely stirred out during the day, but always accompanied the younger in any evening visits to the theatre or the houses of friends.
It was only within the last few weeks that such visits had been made.
The younger lady was in delicate health, and under the care of an English physician famous for skill in the treatment of pulmonary complaints.

It was by his advice that she took daily walking exercise in the Bois.

The establishment consisted of three servants, all Italians, and speaking but imperfect French.

The garcon did not know whether either of the ladies was married, but their mode of life was free from all scandal or suspicion; they probably belonged to the literary or musical world, as the garcon had observed as their visitors the eminent author M.Savarin and his wife; and, still more frequently, an old man not less eminent as a musical composer.
"It is clear to me now," said Lemercier, as the two friends reseated themselves in the carriage, "that our pearly ange is some Italian singer of repute enough in her own country to have gained already a competence; and that, perhaps on account of her own health or her friend's, she is living quietly here in the expectation of some professional engagement, or the absence of some foreign lover." "Lover! do you think that ?" exclaimed Alain, in a tone of voice that betrayed pain.
"It is possible enough; and in that case the Englishman may profit little by the information I have promised to give him." "You have promised the Englishman ?" "Do you not remember last night that he described the lady, and said that her face haunted him: and I--" "Ah! I remember now.