I asked her whether she had only pretended not to know M.d'Antoine.
"No, dearest, I can assure you.

I know his name which belongs to an illustrious family of Provence, but I have never seen him before." "Perhaps he may know you ?" "He might have seen me, but I am certain that he never spoke to me, or I would have recollected him." "That meeting causes me great anxiety, and it seems to have troubled you." "I confess it has disturbed my mind." "Let us leave Parma at once and proceed to Genoa.

We will go to Venice as soon as my affairs there are settled." "Yes, my dear friend, we shall then feel more comfortable.

But I do not think we need be in any hurry." We returned to Parma, and two days afterwards my servant handed me a letter, saying that the footman who had brought it was waiting in the ante-room.
"This letter," I said to Henriette, "troubles me." She took it, and after she had read it--she gave it back to me, saying, "I think M.d'Antoine is a man of honour, and I hope that we may have nothing to fear." The letter ran as, follows: "Either at your hotel or at my residence, or at any other place you may wish to appoint, I entreat you, sir, to give me an opportunity of conversing with you on a subject which must be of the greatest importance to you.
"I have the honour to be, etc.
"D'ANTOINE." It was addressed M.Farusi.
"I think I must see him," I said, "but where ?" "Neither here nor at his residence, but in the ducal gardens.

Your answer must name only the place and the hour of the meeting." I wrote to M.d'Antoine that I would see him at half-past eleven in the ducal gardens, only requesting him to appoint another hour in case mine was not convenient to him.
I dressed myself at once in order to be in good time, and meanwhile we both endeavoured, Henriette and I, to keep a cheerful countenance, but we could not silence our sad forebodings.