United States or Seychelles ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
After Maxence had left to go and meet M. de Tregars, Mme. Favoral and her daughter had remained alone with M. Chapelain, and had been compelled to bear the brunt of his wrath, and to hear his interminable complaints. He was certainly an excellent man, that old lawyer, and too just to hold Mlle. Gilberte or her mother responsible for Vincent Favoral's acts.
Upon the mantlepiece, in a small velvet frame, was Vincent Favoral's portrait. M. de Tregars had been seated for a few minutes, and was collecting his somewhat scattered thoughts, when a slight grating sound, and a rustling noise, made him turn around. Mme. Zelie Cadelle was coming in. She was a woman of some twenty-five or six, rather tall, lithe, and well made.
But every thing is against us. In presence of the examining magistrate, Jottras held out well; but Saint Pavin spoke. That dirty rascal was not satisfied with the share allotted to him. On the information furnished by him, Costeclar was arrested this morning. And Costeclar knows all, since he has been your confidant, Vincent Favoral's, and my own.
Here was, then, a mystery; and M. Favoral's constant anxiety could be read upon his knitted brows during his brief visits to the house; that is, during dinner. From the manner in which he tasted his soup, it was easy to see that he was asking himself whether that was real soup, and whether he was not being imposed upon.
She was still the same coarsely beautiful woman, who, sixteen years before, had sat at Mme. Favoral's table. Time had passed without scarcely touching her with the tip of his wing. Her flesh had retained its dazzling whiteness; her hair, of a bluish black, its marvelous opulence; her lips, their carmine hue; her eyes, their lustre.
They had adopted in this square a particular bench, where they sat daily, working at their sewing with an assiduity and zeal which made me think that they lived upon the product of their labor." Here he was suddenly interrupted by his companion. The old gentleman feared that Mme. Favoral's attention might at last be attracted by too direct allusions.
All about the robbery of twelve millions by a poor cashier. Buy the morning papers!" And, to stimulate the sale of his wares, he added all sorts of jokes of his own invention, saying that the thief belonged to the neighborhood; that it was quite flattering, etc. The crowd laughed; and he went on, "The cashier Favoral's robbery! twelve millions! Buy the paper, and see how it's done."
Why had he not known all this sooner? Better late than never, however. "Ah! you are right, M. le Marquis, a hundred times right!" he declared. "This girl must evidently know Vincent Favoral's secret, the key of the enigma that we are vainly trying to solve. What she would not tell to you, a stranger, she will tell to Lucienne, her friend." Maxence offered to go himself for Zelie Cadelle.
There was there an old newspaper-vender, who had placed in M. Favoral's hands all she had in the world, the savings of her entire life, five hundred francs. Clinging desperately to Maxence's garments, she begged him to give them back to her, swearing, that, if he did not, there was nothing left for her to do, except to throw herself in the river.
She felt a shiver pass over her. Was this an allusion to Marius? The other, changing his tone, went on, "It's only last night that I heard of poor Favoral's discomfiture, at the bourse where I had gone for news. It was the general topic of conversation. Twelve millions! That's pretty hard. The Mutual Credit Society might not be able to stand it.
Word Of The Day