"If you please, your Grace, Mademoiselle Kritchnoff would like to speak to you for a moment."
"Oh? Where is she?" said the Duke.
"She's in her room, your Grace."
"Oh, very well, I'll go up to her," said the Duke. "I can speak to her in the library."
He rose and was going towards the door when Guerchard stepped forward, barring his way, and said, "No, your Grace."
"No? Why?" said the Duke haughtily.
"I beg you will wait a minute or two till I've had a word with you," said Guerchard; and he drew a folded sheet of paper from his pocket and held it up.
The Duke looked at Guerchard's face, and he looked at the paper in his hand; then he said: "Oh, very well." And, turning to Irma, he added quietly, "Tell Mademoiselle Kritchnoff that I'm in the drawing-room."
"Yes, your Grace, in the drawing-room," said Irma; and she turned to go.
"Yes; and say that I shall be engaged for the next five minutes—the next five minutes, do you understand?" said the Duke.
"Yes, your Grace," said Irma; and she went out of the door.
