A Diplomatic Adventure Author:Silas Weir Mitchell Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: m A I sat down in the coupe, and Alphonse was about to close the door, I saw behind him a lady standing in the heavy downfall of rain. I said in my best Frenc... more »h: "Get in, madame. I will get out and leave you the carriage." For a moment she hesitated, and then got in and stood a moment, saying, "Thank you, but I insist that monsieur does not get out in the rain." It was just then a torrent. "Let me leave monsieur where he would desire to go." I said I intended to go to the Rue de la Paix, but I added, "If madame has no objection, may I not first drop her wherever she wishes to go ?" "Oh, no, no! It is far—too far." She was, as it seemed to me, somewhat agitated. For a moment I supposed this to be due to the annoyance a ride with a strange man mighthave suggested as compromising, or at least as the Parisian regards such incidents. Al- phonse waited calmly, the door still open. Again I offered to leave her the carriage, and again she refused. I said, "Might I then ask where madame desires to go ?" She hesitated a moment, and then asked irrelevantly, "Monsieur is not French?" "Oh, no. I am an American." "And I, too." She showed at once a certain relief, and I felt with pleasure that had I been other than her countryman she would not have trusted me as she did. She added: "On no account could I permit you to get out in this storm. If I ask you to set me down in the Bois—I mean, if not inconvenient—" "Of course," I replied. "Get up, Al- phonse." It was, I thought, a rather vague direction, but there was already something odd in this small adventure. No doubt she would presently be more specific. "The Bois, Alphonse," I repeated. A glance at my countrywoman left with me the impression of a lady, very handsome, about twenty-five, and presumably married. Why sh...« less