"Oh, Montague," answered the baron; "he is in Paris. He has been

prevented from dining with us by an invitation to his ambassador's; but

he will look in this evening, and you will see him."

"Ah, that's capital!" exclaimed my uncle; "I shall be delighted to see

him again."

When I heard this name mentioned, I pricked up my ears. Still there was

nothing to indicate that the Montague spoken of was the commodore. I

listened with curiosity.

"Will he stay in Paris any length of time?" my uncle continued.

"The whole winter," replied the baroness. "He has come to pick up his

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daughters, whom he had left in my charge two years ago, before he went

off to the North Pole."

"Ah, yes! little Maud and Suzannah," observed my uncle.

"Yes, captain; only your little Maud and Suzannah are now grown-up

young ladies," added the baroness with a laugh.

It was impossible for me to entertain any more doubts; and I confess my

mind was far from easy when I heard this. At the thought of meeting the

commodore, my first idea was to get away at once, before he arrived.

Although I was confident of the perfect security of my secret, and

although it was the merest chance that had brought about the intimacy

which I could not have foreseen between Kondjé-Gul and his daughters, I

could not conceal from myself the embarrassment which I should feel in

his presence. As bad luck would have it, I was already seated at the

card-table. I lost my tricks as fast as I could in order to shorten the

game, swearing inwardly at the captain and my uncle, who were both of

them playing with a provoking deliberation, and lecturing me upon my

careless play. At last, having succeeded in losing my three rubbers, I

got up from the table, alleging a sudden attack of head-ache, when at

this very moment, in the next drawing-room where the baroness was

sitting, the servant announced, "Commodore Montague!"

Just imagine my stupefaction, Louis, when I saw the commodore come in,

followed by his two daughters and Kondjé-Gul, whom he introduced to the

baroness and to my aunt as a schoolfellow of his daughters, Maud and

Suzannah!

You may guess what a state of confusion I was thrown into by this

spectacle. Whatever would happen? My chances of retreat being now

completely cut off, I withdrew myself to the midst of a group who were

talking together in a corner of the room. Kondjé-Gul was listening

timidly to the baroness's compliments, and I heard the latter say: "I am much indebted, mademoiselle, to our friend the commodore who has

done us the favour of bringing you with him; Maud and Suzannah had

already spoken to me so often about you, that I had a great desire to

make your acquaintance."




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