Castles in the Air

I flatter myself that I conducted the business with remarkable skill. At precisely tenminutes to eleven I rang at the Chancellerie of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. I wasdressed as a respectable commissionnaire, and I carried a letter and a small parceladdressed to M. de Marsan. "First floor," said the concierge curtly, as soon as he hadglanced at the superscription on the letter. "Door faces top of the service stairs."I mounted and took my stand some ten steps below the landing, keeping the door of M.de Marsan's room well in sight. Just as the bells of Notre Dame boomed the hour I heardwhat sounded like a furious altercation somewhere in the corridor just above me. Therewas much shouting, then one or two cries of "Murder!" followed by others of "What is it?"and "What in the name of --- is all this infernal row about?" Doors were opened andbanged, there was a general running and rushing along that corridor, and the next minutethe door in front of me was opened also, and a young man came out, pen in hand, andshouting just like everybody else: "What the --- is all this infernal row about?