"I made bold, Sir," said Mr. Franklin, "to send for it myself, when you sent me down for Charles; and the boy will be back, Sir, in two or three minutes."
"Well, come you and Charles here again when the boy comes back, and bring him here also. I'll make out who has been playing tricks."
Mr. Longcluse shut his dressing-room door sharply; he walked to the window, and looked out with a vicious scowl; he turned about, and lifted up his clenched hand, and stamped on the floor. A sudden thought now struck him.
"The right foot? By Jove! it may not be the one."
The boot that was left was already in his hand. He was examining it curiously.
"Ay, by heaven! The right _was_ the boot! What's the meaning of this? Conspiracy? I should not wonder."
He examined it carefully again, and flung it into its corner with violence.
"If it's an accident, it is a very odd one. It is a suspicious accident. It may be, of course, all right. I daresay it _is_ all right. The odds are ten, twenty, a thousand to one that Armagnac has got it. I should have had a warm bath last night, and taken a ten miles' ride into the country this morning. It must be all right, and I am plaguing myself without a cause."
Yet he took up the boot, and examined it once more; then, dropping it, went to the window and looked into the street--came back, opened his door, and listened for the messenger's return.
It was not long deferred. As he heard them approach, Mr. Longcluse flung open his door and confronted them, in white waistcoat and shirt-sleeves, and with a very white and stern face--face and figure all white.
"Well, what about it? Where's the boot?" he demanded, sharply.
"The boy inquired, Sir," said Mr. Franklin, indicating the messenger with his open hand, and undertaking the office of spokesman; "and Mr. Armagnac did not send for the boot, Sir, and has not got it."
"Oh, oh! very good. And now, Sir," he said, in rising fury, turning upon Charles, "what have _you_ got to say for yourself?"
"The man said he came from Mr. Armagnac, please, Sir," said Charles, "and wanted the boot, which Mr. Franklin should have back as early as he could return it."
"Then you gave it to a common thief with that cock-and-a-bull story, and you wish me to believe that you took it all for gospel. There are men who would pitch you over the bannisters for a less thing. If I could be certain of it, I'd put you beside him in the dock. But, by heavens! I'll come to the bottom of the whole thing yet."