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The room which had been prepared for me at “La Simonière”, was located in a corner of the hall, on the left of the entrance of the house. It was a comfortable accommodation, with a window giving on the garden. I was, however, too preoccupied to be able to enjoy this excellent arrangement. I went straight to bed, and lay down without removing my clothes. I wanted to be ready to jump in case the potential threat that represented the “blue letter” would suddenly materialize into a darker predicament. The Baron had retired at midnight, after the game of bridge. He felt tired, and, after kissing his wife’s hand, he briefly said Goodnight to his guests. Afterwards, he went up to his apartment located on the first floor. Since then, everybody …show more content…

The storm had not subsided. The rain kept pouring down, and the thunder could be heard at regular intervals. When I reached the hallway, I turned left. Halfway down, against the wall, stood a tall antique chair with a red velvet fabric, affixed with big round golden nails. Passed it, was the Baron’s apartment. I slowly moved my hand toward the handle of the door. As my fingers got closer to it, a subtle perfume filled up the air. It was a sort of redolent glandular scent, a perfume that takes many years, in contact with the very nature of a woman’s body, to transform itself, from just an artificial fragrance, into the powerful and heady essence that touches the soul, and wakes up desires. I slowly turned around. The Baronne Simone de Valfort, in a white silky gown, stood in front of me! Under the pale ray of light that fell slantwise upon her hair, I could see the strain that the events of the day had put on her face. She looked, nevertheless, even more attractive under her mask of lassitude. “Oh! Pardon me, Madame!” I said, “I was just going to check…” “I understand,” she answered with a tone of voice sunk into the lowest limit of audibility, in order to intimate to me that I had to be quiet. She, then, took my arm, and gently pulled me away from the door. When we reach the level of the staircase, she stopped. “The Baron, at night, is very sensitive to noise. The smallest sound disturbs him!” she said. I didn’t

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