"Sometimes at one place, sometimes at another--wherever they have a good _chef_, sir," the man replied.
I bethought me of my own club and its renown. Come peace or war, I knew that John Turner never missed his meals. I left a note asking him to take luncheon with me at the club on the following day, to discuss matters of importance and meet a mutual acquaintance. I invited him fifteen minutes later than the hour named to Mr. Devar, and in the evening received his acceptance. As I was walking down St. James Street the next morning I met Alphonse Giraud.
"Will you lunch with me at the club," I said, "to-day, at one. I want to give you every facility to carry out your scheme to keep an eye on me."
"John Turner will be there," I said, with a laugh, "and perhaps we may hear something that will interest you--at all events, he will talk of money, since you are so absorbed in it."
So my luncheon party formed itself into a rather queer _partie carrée_; for I knew John Turner's contempt for Alphonse, and hoped that he might cherish a yet stronger feeling against Devar.
At the hour appointed that gentleman arrived, and was pleased to be very gracious and patronising. His manner towards me was that of a man of the world who is kindly disposed towards a country bumpkin. I received him in the smaller smoking-room, where we were alone, and were still sitting there when Alphonse came. It was quite evident that the little Frenchman appreciated the great English club.
"Now, in Paris," he said, "we copy all this. But it is not the same thing. We have our clubs, but they are quite different--they are but cafés--and why?"
"Because," I suggested, "you are by nature too sociable. Frenchman cannot meet without being polite to each other, so the independence of a club is lost. Englishmen can share a cabin, and still be distant."
"The furniture is the same," said Giraud, looking round with a reflective eye, "but there is a different feeling in the air. It is different from the Paris clubs. Do you know Paris, Monsieur Devar?" Devar paused.
"Of course, I have been there," he replied, looking at the carpet. "What Englishman has not?"
[Illustration: "MR. DEVAR," REPEATED TURNER, "LET ME DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE DOOR!"]