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Updated: June 11, 2025
Renine at once expounded to Hortense the plan of two enterprises which he had in view and in which he offered, with no great enthusiasm, to let her share: "The finest adventure," he declared, "is that which we do not foresee. It comes unexpectedly, unannounced; and no one, save the initiated, realizes that an opportunity to act and to expend one's energies is close at hand.
"She will kill herself," said Dutreuil, in a scared voice. "She will never be able to endure the idea that they are guillotining Jacques. She will kill herself presently ... this very night...." Renine was striding up and down the room. "You can do nothing for her, can you?" asked Hortense. "It's half-past eleven now," he replied, in an anxious tone, "and it's to happen to-morrow morning."
Renine resumed, pausing between each proposal: "I'll double my offer.... I'll treble it.... Hang it all, Pancaldi, you're unreasonable!... I suppose you want me to make it a round sum? All right: a hundred thousand francs." He held out his hand as if there was no doubt that they would give him the clasp.
But, just as Renine was opening the door, there was a noise in the passage and the manager ran up, waving his arms: "Is M. Dutreuil still here?... M. Dutreuil, your flat is on fire!... A man outside told us. He saw it from the square." The young man's eyes lit up. For perhaps half a second his mouth was twisted by a smile which Renine noticed: "Oh, you ruffian!" he cried.
This time the count appeared surprised. He pushed back his decanter and his glass of sherry and said: "What's this you're telling me? I had no idea that we had any such neighbours." Renine shook his head and smiled: "I should be more inclined to believe, sir, that you were not very eager to admit any relationship between yourself ... and the unknown owner of the property."
He leapt into the room and threw away his revolver in order to seize the madwoman. But she did not wait for him. She rushed to the door, opened it and fled, with a hoarse cry. M. de Lourtier made as though to run after her. "What's the use?" said Renine, kneeling down, "Let's save the victim first." He was instantly reassured: Hortense was alive.
In the adjoining apartments on either side, through the open doors, Renine was able to note the bad taste of the two mothers. He went up to Jean Louis and, in a low voice, asked: "Are they well off?" "Yes." "And you?" "They settled the manor-house upon me, with all the land around it, which makes me quite independent." "Have they any relations?" "Sisters, both of them."
I have promised my father; and the banns have been published." "We shall leave for Carhaix, Madame Daniel and I, this evening," said Renine. That evening he and Hortense took the train for Brittany. They reached Carhaix at ten o'clock in the morning; and, after lunch, at half past twelve o'clock they stepped into a car borrowed from a leading resident of the district.
"And it is quite impossible for that clock to have kept going for twenty years without being wound up?" "Quite impossible." "Then ...?" Serge Renine opened the three windows and threw back the shutters. He and Hortense were in a drawing-room, as he had thought; and the room showed not the least sign of disorder. The chairs were in their places. Not a piece of furniture was missing.
"Would you have taken action without my bluff?" "No." "Then what more do you want?" Renine stooped to stir the ashes. But there was nothing left, not even those remnants of stiff paper which still retain their shape. "Nothing," he said. "It's queer, all the same! How the deuce did he manage to set the thing alight?" He stood up, looking attentively about him.
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