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Updated: June 21, 2025
At their attitude, and at the expression of their countenance, he easily guessed the point to which things had come. And, advancing towards Mme. Favoral, he bowed with an amount of respect which was certainly not put on. "You have heard the Count de Villegre, madame," he said in a slightly altered tone of voice. "I am awaiting my fate."
"It was then that I determined upon an extreme resolution, a foolish one, no doubt, and yet to which you, the Count de Villegre, my father's old friend, you have consented to lend yourself. "I thought that I would address myself to her, to her alone, and that she would at least know what great, what immense love she had inspired.
You were but a small fish then: you accommodated yourself with what your patrons, the sharks, did not care about. But, when you tried to operate alone, you were not shrewd enough: you left proofs of your excessive appetite for other people's money. Those proofs I have in my possession." M. Costeclar was now undergoing perfect torture. "I am caught," he said, "I know it: I told M. de Villegre so."
All the blood in M. Costeclar's veins rushed to his face. "You!" he interrupted insolently: "I do not know you." Imperturbable, M. de Tregars was drawing off his gloves. "Are you quite certain of that?" he replied. "Come, you certainly know my old friend, M. de Villegre?" An evident feeling of anxiety appeared on M. Costeclar's countenance. "I do," he stammered.
And so confident was he of the correctness of his calculations, that he had insisted upon accompanying his old friend, so as to be on hand at the critical moment. When the servant had opened the door to them, he had ordered her to introduce M. de Villegre, stating that he would himself wait in the dining-room.
They have been followed in their retreat by Mme. Favoral and by General Count de Villegre. The greater portion of his father's fortune, Marius had applied to pay off all the personal creditors of the former cashier of the Mutual Credit, all the trades-people, and also M. Chapelain, old man Desormeaux, and M. and Mme. Desclavettes.
As to the Count de Villegre, he would have tried in vain to express the gratitude he felt towards Mlle. Gilberte for having spared him these difficult explanations. "I could not have done half as well myself, by the eternal!" he thought, like a man who has no illusions on his own account. But, as soon as she had done, addressing himself to Mme. Favoral,
"These early spring days are treacherous," she objected: "you caught cold yesterday." "My dress was too thin. To-day I have taken my precautions." They started, taking their work with them, and came to occupy their accustomed seats. Before they had even passed the gates, Mlle. Gilberte had recognized Marius de Tregars and the Count de Villegre, walking in one of the side alleys.
And now she shuddered at the thought that she had perhaps the right to open it. And she had no one of whom she could ask for a word of hope. She was compelled to hide her tears, and to put on a smile. True, Marius, on leaving, had left her a friend, the Count de Villegre; and, if any one knew any thing, he certainly did. But she could see no way of hearing from him without risking her secret.
A glance from M. de Tregars riveted her to her seat, freezing upon her lips the jest she was about to utter. "I have not done yet," he said rudely. And, without suffering any interruption, "From this correspondence," he resumed, "resulted the flagrant, irrefutable proof of a shameful intrigue, long since suspected by my old friend, General Count de Villegre.
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