He will not dream of
addressing Mademoiselle, unless she graciously permits."
As the landlord talked on, Victoria glanced across the room at the Arab,
and though his eyes were bent upon his plate, he seemed to feel the
girl's look, as if by a kind of telepathy, instantly meeting it with
what seemed to her questioning eyes a sincere and disarming gaze.
"Tell Sidi Maieddine ben el Hadj Messaoud that I thank him," she
answered, rewarded for her industry in keeping up French, which she
spoke fluently, with the Parisian accent she had caught as a child in
Paris. "It is possible that he can help me, and I should be glad to talk
with him."
"In that case Si Maieddine would suggest that Mademoiselle grant him a
short interview in the private sitting-room of my wife, Madame Constant,
who will be honoured," the fat man replied promptly. "It would not be
wise for Mademoiselle to be seen by strangers talking with the
distinguished gentleman, whose acquaintance she is to make. This,
largely for her own sake; but also for his, or rather, for the sake of
certain diplomatic interests which he is appointed to carry out.
Officially, he is supposed to have left Algiers to-day. And it is by his
permission that I mention the matter to Mademoiselle."
"I will do whatever you think best," said Victoria, who was too glad of
the opportunity to worry about conventionalities. She was so young, and
inexperienced in the ways of society, that a small transgression against
social laws appeared of little importance to a girl situated as she was.
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