His tone was certainly slighting. Clermont compressed his lips and darted a menacing glance at the man who ventured to treat him thus cavalierly beneath his own roof, but he said nothing and awaited further explanations.
"I met my nephew a moment ago," Montigny began again; "he was probably coming from you."
"Certainly; he has just left here."
"And he, Count Steinrück, frequents your house daily, I hear."
"He does; we are intimate friends."
"Indeed?" was the cold rejoinder. "Well, Raoul is young and inexperienced; but I would call your attention to the fact that this friendship is quite worthless for you. No state secrets are confided to so young and insignificant a member of the department. They are very cautious here in such respects."
"Herr Marquis!" Clermont burst forth, angrily.
"Herr von Clermont?"
"I have frequently had occasion to object to the tone which you see fit to adopt towards me. I must beg you to alter it."
Montigny shrugged his shoulders. "I was not aware that I had neglected to treat you with due courtesy in society. Now that we are alone, you must permit me to be frank. I learned but lately of Count Steinrück's intimacy in your household, and I do not know how great may be Frau von Nérac's share in this intimacy. Be that as it may, however, you will understand me when I beg, or rather require, that the Countess be left entirely out of the question in the schemes which you are both pursuing. Select another individual,--one who is not the son of the Countess Hortense and the nephew of the Marquis de Montigny."