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Camors occupied the second floor of the hotel; and ascending the stairs, found himself suddenly facing his father's valet. The man was very pale, and held a sealed paper, which he extended with a trembling hand. "What is it, Joseph?" asked Camors. "A letter which which Monsieur le Comte wrote for you before he left." "Before he left! my father is gone, then? But where how?
The other evening we were at the General's. She was waltzing, and Monsieur de Camors, as a rare favor, came and seated himself at your daughter's side. In passing before us she threw him a look a flash. I felt the flame. Her blue eyes glared ferociously. He perceived it. I have not assuredly much tenderness for her.
Camors swung open the gate, took the first road he saw, and reached the top of the hill amid trees and flowers. An old servant slept on a bench before the door, smiling in his dreams. Camors waked him, inquired for the master of the house, and was ushered into a vestibule.
At these words the child uttered a cry of terror, rushed back to the nurse, pressed against her, and regarded his father with frightened eyes. The nurse took him by the arm, and earned him off in great haste. M. de Camors did not weep. A frightful contraction distorted the corners of his mouth, and exaggerated the thinness of his cheeks.
M. de Camors did not notice these details, or his natural generosity would have awakened, and curbed the sudden indignation that took possession of him. He reined in his horse sharply. "Ah, is it you, Monsieur Vautrot?" he said. "You have left England then! What are you doing now?"
Camors himself, three fourths of the time, would bring him in before going out in the evening. "I bring you Vautrot, my dear," he would say, "and Shakespeare. You can read him together." Vautrot read well; and though his heavy declamatory style frequently annoyed the Countess, she thus managed to kill many a long evening, while waiting the expected visit of Madame de Tecle.
He had, however, good reason to be uneasy; and was wrong in reassuring himself; for the General in the course of that evening had been informed of the treachery of his wife at least he had been prepared for it. Only he was still ignorant of the name of her accomplice. Those who informed him were afraid of encountering the blind and obstinate faith of the General, had they named Camors.
M. de Camors embraced the child with tenderness; and leaning toward him, spoke to him in a low voice, and asked after his mother and about his amusements, with a singularly soft and sad manner. Then he let him go, and walked with a slow step, breathing the fresh morning air, examining the leaves and the flowers with extraordinary interest.
"Another time, Miss Mary, be more careful. I understand English perfectly well!" Mademoiselle Marie remained in the same attitude, blushed up to the roots of her hair, and cast on M. de Camors a startled look of mingled shame and anger. "You are not satisfied, Miss Mary," continued Camors. "Not at all," said the child, quickly, her strong voice somewhat husky.
At the end of August M. de Camors repaired to the principal town in the district, to perform his duties in the Council-General. The session finished, he paid a visit to Madame de Campvallon before returning to Reuilly. He had neglected her a little in the course of the summer, and had only visited Campvallon at long intervals, as politeness compelled him.
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