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Updated: May 7, 2025
Monsieur de Pepicot spent so many minutes among the contents of his travelling bag, that he was not in bed as soon as I. But he was by far the sooner asleep, as his loud snoring testified. To that music ran my thoughts of the beautiful young Countess and her unhappy situation, till at last they passed into dreams. In the midst of the night I woke, and listened for my neighbour's snoring.
"In that case," I put in, feigning to treat the matter gaily, "Monsieur de Pepicot was wise in leaving as he did." "I was about to say that if Monsieur de Pepicot had his secret purposes, it is but fair to suppose you may have yours.
As we returned to the hall, the Count questioned me, watching me sharply the while. I was perfectly safe in telling the literal truth, though not all of it: how Monsieur de Pepicot was a stranger to me, how I had never spoken to him before yesterday, how I knew nothing of his business, and so forth.
It was plain, too, when his eyes alighted on me, that he had heard from the Captain, who followed him, of my conduct beneath the window. As he came toward me, he scowled and looked very wicked and crafty. Before he could speak, I said: "Monsieur, there is something I wish to tell you, if you will allow me to speak to you alone." "Regarding Monsieur de Pepicot?"
The chamber looked out on a small part of the garden at the rear of the chateau. "Well," said I, washing my hands, "you have played the magician. It has been as easy as walking, to get into the chateau." "Will it be easy to get out again, when our business is done, I wonder?" replied Monsieur de Pepicot, gazing out of the window at the distant high wall of the garden. "Why do you say that?"
He then lay down upon his bed, without undressing. I returned to my own couch and was soon asleep. When I woke again, it was daylight. Monsieur de Pepicot and his portmanteau were gone. It occurred to me now, as I washed and dressed, that when he spoke of my departing by night he intended to make just such an unceremonious exit himself.
"Is that you, Monsieur de Pepicot?" I asked. "H'sh," he replied in a whisper, closing the door carefully. "Don't disturb the slumbers of the household. You are very wakeful." "No more so than you are, it seems," I said. "That is true. I often suffer from sleeplessness, and I find a walk is the thing to put me right."
I was inwardly much excited at the near prospect of dinner, as the meal would perhaps give me a sight of the Countess. But of this I was disappointed. The only people who sat down at the upper table, when dinner was served in the hall, were the Count, the Captain, my friend Monsieur de Pepicot, and myself.
"I heard you made yourself entirely inaccessible to strangers. So when Monsieur de Pepicot spoke of asking you to lend us chessmen, I thought it might lead to some breaking down of your reserve, as it did." "But why did you wait a day before telling me?" "I hoped that chance might enable me to see you alone. But you were so deeply engrossed in your chess.
After supper the Count and the Captain sat over their wine in a manner which showed a long drinking bout to be their regular evening custom. Monsieur de Pepicot and I accompanied them as far as our position as guests required. We then plead the fatigue of recent travel, and were shown to our room, in which an additional bed had been placed.
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