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Your mother-in-law made a scene, and forbade my lending you any money. You must understand, my dear Prince, that my relations with Madame Desvarennes are important. I hold a great deal of money of hers in my bank. She first gave me a start. I cannot, without appearing ungrateful, act contrary to her will.
"Seriously," continued Serge, "before I knew I was to be your son-in-law, I thought you a matchless woman. Add to the admiration I had for your great qualities the affection which your goodness has inspired, and you will understand that I am both proud and happy to have such a mother as you." Madame Desvarennes looked at Panine attentively; she saw he was sincere.
But Mademoiselle Desvarennes was not thinking of Mademoiselle de Cernay; she had just raised the heavy door curtain, and calling to Jeanne, "Are you coming?" passed into the drawing-room: It was indeed Prince Serge, who was expected by Cayrol with impatience, by Madame Desvarennes with silent irritation, by Pierre with deep anguish.
"The son-in-law of Madame Desvarennes does not go before the Assize Courts even to be acquitted," said she, with a firm voice. "What would you have me do?" cried Serge, passionately. Madame Desvarennes did not answer, but pointed to the revolver on the table. "Kill myself? Ah! no; that would be giving you too much pleasure."
Like an overflowing river that finds an outlet in the valley, which it inundates, the longings for maternity, hitherto repressed by the preoccupations of business, had suddenly seized Madame Desvarennes. Strong and unyielding, she struggled and would not own herself conquered. Still she became sad.
"You shall not go out!" she cried. "Are you mad?" he exclaimed, gnashing his teeth. "You shall not go out!" repeated the mistress, with flashing eyes. "We shall see!" And with a strong arm he seized Madame Desvarennes, and threw her aside. The mistress became livid. Serge had his hand on the handle of the door. He was about to escape. Madame Desvarennes's arm was stretched forth.
And he gave the weapon a push, so that it rolled close to Madame Desvarennes. "Ah! wretch!" cried she, giving way to her suppressed rage. "You are not even a Panine! The Panines knew how to die." "I have not time to act a melodrama with you," snarled Serge. "I am going to try to save myself." And he took a step toward the door. The mistress seized the revolver, and threw herself before him.
"And what had that to do with your intentions?" "Zounds! It had everything to do with them. Your mother-in-law made a scene, and forbade my lending you any money. You must understand, my dear Prince, that my relations with Madame Desvarennes are important. I hold a great deal of money of hers in my bank. She first gave me a start. I cannot, without appearing ungrateful, act contrary to her will.
"Besides, your good friends who criticised so when you gave me Micheline's hand would be only too pleased. I will not give them the pleasure of posing as prophets and saying, 'We knew it would be so!" "You must forgive them," replied Madame Desvarennes. "You have made enemies.
"The prestige of your name, and your relations with Madame Desvarennes." The Prince answered, haughtily: "My relations are personal, and I doubt whether they will serve you. My mother-in-law is hostile, and will do nothing for me. As to my name, it does not belong to me, it belongs to those who bore it nobly before me." "Your relations will serve me," said Herzog. "I am satisfied.
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