What could he be doing?
Possibly waiting in the corridor below.

Little Georgette still piped her plaintive wail, appealing to me by her familiar term, "Minnie, Minnie, me very poorly!" till my heart ached.

I descended to ascertain why he did not come.

The corridor was empty.

Whither was he vanished?
Was he with Madame in the _salle-a-manger ?_ Impossible: I had left her but a short time since, dressing in her own chamber.