These informations, without being very relevant, reassured Villefaramir somewhat, to the extent that he could once more sleep at night.
It was in the hottest days of summer, when the Saturday on which the ball of M. and Mme. de Pérégrin commenced, and the sole topic of conversation was the Count's eccentricities.
"Will you not have the Count of Monte Fato this evening?" enquired the baroness de Sacqueville-Danglars of Réginard.
"You are the seventeenth person to ask me that," laughed Réginard. "He will come. But think! The Red Arrow cannot have reached him more than two hours ago, and he has many social engagements this saison."
"He was at the opera yesterday," said the baroness.
"And did the excentric do anything original?"
"Can he appear in public without being original? Eisner was dancing the Macarena in L'Uruc bénigne, and the spider-woman was ravished. The Count placed a magnificent Ring in a bouquet and tossed it to the dancer, and immediately all loved her and despaired."
Mme. de Villefaramir approached.
