Probably M. de Vidoche, left to himself, found, his thoughts poor company, for by-and-by he grew restless. He walked across the room and listened, and walked again and listened. The latter movement brought him by chance to the foot of the little flight of six steps by which the astrologer had retired, and he looked up and saw that the door at the top was ajar. Impelled by curiosity, or suspicion, or the mere desire to escape from himself, he stole up, and, opening it farther, thrust his head through and listened.
He remained in this position about a minute. Then he turned, and crept down again, and stood, thinking, at the foot of the stairs, with an expression of such utter and complete amazement on his face as almost transformed the man. Something he had heard or seen which he could not understand! Something incredible, something almost miraculous! For all else, even his guilty purpose, seemed swallowed up in sheer astonishment.
The stupor held him until he heard the astrologer's steps. Even then he only turned and looked. But if ever dumb lips asked a question, his did then.
The man in black nodded silently. He seemed not at all surprised that the other had heard or seen what he had. Even in him the thing, whatever it was, had worked a change. His eyes shone, his eyebrows were raised, his face wore a pale smile of triumph and conceit.
M. de Vidoche found his voice at last "My wife!" he whispered.
The astrologer's shoulders went up to his ears. He spread out his hands. He nodded--once, twice. "_Mais oui, Madame!_" he said.
"Here?--now?" M. de Vidoche stammered, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"She is in the chamber of the astrolabe."
"_Mon Dieu!_" the husband exclaimed. "_Mon Dieu!_" And then for a moment he shook, as if someone were passing over his grave. His face was pale. There was dread mingled with his surprise. "I do not understand," he muttered at last. "What does it mean? What is she doing here?"
"She has come for a love-philtre," M. Nôtredame answered, with a sphinx-like smile.
The husband drew a deep breath. "For me?" he exclaimed. "Impossible!"
"Possible," the man in black answered quietly; "and true."
"Give her one," the astrologer answered. The enigmatical smile, which had been all along playing on his face, grew deeper, keener, more cruel. His eyes gleamed with triumph--and evil. "I shall give her one," he said again.