"Madame Boutell will have the honor to receive Monsieur and Mesdames, if they will be so good as to ascend the stairs."
"Now for it," said Joe, touching Leslie's arm with a little bit of shudder, real or affected, and speaking in a tone so low that it seemed designed only for his ear and flattered that male person's vanity amazingly. "Now for it!--I have never been anywhere near the infernal regions before, to my knowledge, and you must take care of us!"
"I will _try_--Miss Harris--may I not say Josephine?" was the reply of Leslie, who, though he had said very little in that direction, kept his eyes pretty closely on the wild female counterpart of himself, and was really getting on somewhat rapidly towards an entanglement.
The apartment into which the seekers after information (or _no_ information) were ushered, was reached by ascending an old-fashioned stair, through a hall not very well lighted, even in a summer afternoon; and when they entered it they found it to be one of two, divided by a red curtain which dropped to the floor and supplied the place of a door. No necromantic appliances were visible in the room; and with the exception of a table, three or four chairs and a carpet more or less worn, it was without articles of use or ornament. Motioning the party to chairs, which only Bell accepted, the negro attendant said:
"Will Monsieur and the ladies enter Madame's private room together, or singly? Madame does not often receive more than one at once, but will do so for this distinguished company, if they wish?"
"Ahem!" said Leslie, involuntarily pulling up his collar at the words "distinguished company," while "Good gracious--how did they know that _we_ were coming?" was the exclamation of Joe, to Bell, _sotto voce_.
"Oh, let us all go in together," said Bell, who probably had less suspicion of a secret that could possibly be awkward of disclosure, in her own breast, than either of her companions.
"No, I think not," said Joe. "You may have nothing to conceal, Bell, but I have--lots of things; and though I may be willing to have the French woman drain me dry, like a pump, I do not know that I shall offer _you_ the same privilege."
"No, on the whole, decidedly not," said Leslie. "Of course, ladies, there is really nothing for the most timid to fear; and even if there were, the two others will be in the room immediately adjoining. Decidedly, if you are both willing, each had better tempt fate alone."