Meanwhile La Faloise stopped him at every step in hopes of receiving an invitation.

He ended by offering himself, and Vandeuvres engaged him in the plot at once; only he made him promise to bring Clarisse with him, and when La Faloise pretended to scruple about certain points he quieted him by the remark: "Since I invite you that's enough!" Nevertheless, La Faloise would have much liked to know the name of the hostess.

But the countess had recalled Vandeuvres and was questioning him as to the manner in which the English made tea.

He often betook himself to England, where his horses ran.

Then as though he had been inwardly following up quite a laborious train of thought during his remarks, he broke in with the question: "And the marquis, by the by?
Are we not to see him ?" "Oh, certainly you will! My father made me a formal promise that he would come," replied the countess.