Do you mean to say you have failed once for weeks past to be at the Countess's as the clock strikes twelve ?" Claudius was silent.

It was quite true; he went there daily at the same hour; for, as appeared in the beginning of this tale, he was a regular man.

But he reflected just now that the Countess would not be likely to speak of the party unless she knew that he was to be one.

He had not accepted his invitation yet, and the Duke would certainly not take his acceptance as a foregone conclusion.

Altogether it seemed probable that he would be kept in suspense.