"I too am an inventor," says Henry, "though my inventions are designed to preserve life rather than take it. Still, I can see the necessity for such a device. There is another less savory inventor, an Austrian named Roterstein. His inventions not only take life, but they do so gratuitously and cruelly, not like the swift decapitation promised by Doctor Guillotin's proposal. Have you ever heard of this Roterstein, or do you know of someone who might?"
Ines will do as Miss Davenport says. She will wait in a spot where she is concealed from the view of the inhabited part of the house, but clearly visible from the disused area - so that if the servant returns, he will see her.
"I know not that name," the Chevalière replies. "I am not overly fond of Germans, with their harsh and barbaric language, the influence from which, if you will forgive me, your own tongue is not entirely free." She pauses a moment, then cries loudly, "Henri! Henri! Where is that cursed fellow? Shall I have to track him down, and those two inordinately delayed females? Henri, I say!" She stamps her cane on the floor and begins to walk in the direction to which she directed the ladies.
Ines is able to clearly hear the approaching footsteps and the continued rapping of the cane.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Miss Davenport, creeping silently in the direction of the muffled cries, comes upon a niche from which the sound emerges. There is a heavy stone door with a narrow slit, such as might be found in an ancient dungeon. A single candle in a holder, now set in a corner of the room, illuminates the sight within. Peering through the niche, one can see the servant Henri, engaged in tying a gag around the mouth of a young man. The young man is pale and thin, as if he has not seen the light of day or obtained proper victuals for some time. He is dressed in clothing of fine quality but now soiled and worn nearly to rags. There has evidently been a struggle between the two, to the disfavor of the young man. This is not surprising, given that his movements are hampered by the fact that his leg is shackled to the floor by a short chain tied to a heavy post. Henri finishes his task and steps back.
-- You may have that off when you have learnt silence! --
He picks up the candle, obviously ready to return from his errand.
"You should not have to go to the trouble of searching for him yourself, Madame," says Henry. "This is why we have servants. Since your own are not present, my valet Ivan here could find Henri for you."
Appalled by what she has seen, Lila hurries back to rejoin Ines. Clearly action must be taken but she would rather have Doctor North and Ivan present in any confrontation.
Ines swiftly uses the hem of her dress to scuff the dust between her hiding place and nearest corner Miss Davenport went past. Should the Chevalière look at the floor with any care, it would give them away regardless, but this way Ines might be able to pass herself off as having come this far alone, and no further - she will return to her hiding place in case the Chevalière passes by without looking at the floor - otherwise she will try to look furtive as if she were looking for something to steal (if there is a small ornament nearby, which may compound this illusion, she will pick it up).
The various movements of all bring them together in one room. Henri and the Chevalière exchange a glance and a nod.
"I trust," she says to her guests, "that the demands of the flesh have been sufficiently dealt with, as well as what I can only refer to as an extraordinary amount of curiosity. Was it not your own Ben Jonson who remarked that 'care will kill a cat'? I caution you against excessive interest in affairs that are not your concern. I bid you good day."
This entire encounter having not taken even an hour's time, the coachman still remains without, tending to his steeds. He is ready to convey the party where they will.
Lila quickly relates to the others what she saw in the dungeon room. "It may not pertain to our primary task but I cannot countenance leaving that man to suffer such treatment. From his fine clothing I am given to wonder if he may not be her supposedly deceased son, the Chevalier, himself. Perhaps for now we should continue our search for Violette DuPray by some other avenue and I, and anyone who wishes to accompany me, will return here under cover of night to attempt to liberate this poor fellow."
"Shall we take luncheon at one of the public houses in the Latin Quartier?" Lila suggests. "Perhaps we will be afforded the opportunity to make further inquiries of the locals concerning the cards, or the outlaw professor."
The coachman, having heard some of this discussion, has a suggestion, which he relates to Miss Davenport.
-- If you wish to contact all levels of society, you would do well to pay a visit to the Palais-Royal. --
After some questioning, it is established that this palace, under the control of Louis Philippe Joseph II d'Orléans (a close relative of the King), consists of a large complex of buildings and gardens. Just a few years ago the outermost of these have been opened to the public as a sort of marketplace. (Louis Phillipe is a man of liberal mind, despite his high station as the Duke of Orleans. It is said that he favors a constitutional monarchy, much like that of George III, rather than the absolute monarchy of Louis XVI.) It is located just across the Seine from the area of the city where the party is staying.
Upon arrival it can be seen that the gardens and their surrounding buildings are as busy with activity as any beehive. Merchants and artisans of all kinds cry out their wares and persons of noble blood stroll leisurely not far from where prostitutes openly ply their trade. Fine luxury goods are seen behind glass windows; members of the middle level of society walk by and imagine being able to afford such luxuries. One might refer to this as "window shopping." For those in search of conversation, there are salons, cafes, and bookshops, as well as many purveyors of comestibles.
"Meanwhile perhaps I shall stroll among the food-sellers and bookshops in the marketplace," Lila says. "It occurs to me, looking at this crude drawing and the word Libertie that such radical sentiments are oft more likely to be found clandestinely among the proletariat. Bookshops in particular are said to attract those of the liberal persuasion. Mister Witherly, whom shall you accompany?"
She wonders too about those such as the prostitutes, who are likely to be privy to all kinds of secrets, though it would be highly improper for her to openly approach them.
