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reality　Walter　who　will　advance　the　money；　and　you　have　done　enough
for　him　to　offset　that　sum。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　do　it。　If　we　lose　I　will　pay　you　back
ten　thousand　francs。〃

She　was　so　delighted　that　she　rose；　took　his　head　between　her　hands；
and　kissed　him。　At　first　he　did　not　repulse　her；　but　when　she　grew
more　lavish　with　her　caresses；　he　said：

〃Come；　that　will　do。〃

She　gazed　at　him　sadly。　〃Oh；　Georges；　I　can　no　longer　even　embrace
you。〃

〃No；　not　to…day。　I　have　a　headache。〃

She　reseated　herself　with　docility　at　his　feet　and　asked：

〃Will　you　dine　with　us　to…morrow？　It　would　give　me　such　pleasure；〃

He　hesitated　at　first；　but　dared　not　refuse。

〃Yes；　certainly。〃

〃Thank　you；　dearest。〃　She　rubbed　her　cheek　against　the　young　man's
vest；　as　she　did　so；　one　of　her　long　black　hairs　caught　on　a　button；
she　twisted　it　tightly　around；　then　she　twisted　another　around
another　button　and　so　on。　When　he　rose；　he　would　tear　them　out　of
her　head；　and　would　carry　away　with　him　unwittingly　a　lock　of　her
hair。　It　would　be　an　invisible　bond　between　them。　Involuntarily　he
would　think；　would　dream　of　her；　he　would　love　her　a　little　more　the
next　day。

Suddenly　he　said：　〃I　must　leave　you；　for　I　am　expected　at　the
Chamber　for　the　close　of　the　session。　I　cannot　be　absent　to…day。〃

She　sighed：　〃Already！〃　Then　adding　resignedly：　〃Go；　my　darling；　but
you　will　come　to　dinner　tomorrow〃；　she　rose　abruptly。　For　a　moment
she　felt　a　sharp；　stinging　pain；　as　if　needles　had　been　stuck　into
her　head；　but　she　was　glad　to　have　suffered　for　him。

〃Adieu；〃　said　she。

He　took　her　in　his　arms　and　kissed　her　eyes　coldly；　then　she　offered
him　her　lips　which　he　brushed　lightly　as　he　said：　〃Come；　come；　let
us　hurry；　it　is　after　three　o'clock。〃

She　passed　out　before　him　saying：　〃To…morrow　at　seven〃；　he　repeated
her　words　and　they　separated。

Du　Roy　returned　at　four　o'clock　to　await　his　mistress。　She　was
somewhat　late　because　her　husband　had　come　home　for　a　week。　She
asked：

〃Can　you　come　to　dinner　to…morrow？　He　will　be　delighted　to　see　you。〃

〃No；　I　dine　at　the　Walters。　We　have　a　great　many　political　and
financial　matters　to　talk　over。〃

She　took　off　her　hat。　He　pointed　to　a　bag　on　the　mantelpiece：　〃I
bought　you　some　sweetmeats。〃

She　clapped　her　hands。　〃What　a　darling　you　are！〃　She　took　them；
tasted　one；　and　said：　〃They　are　delicious。　I　shall　not　leave　one。
Come；　sit　down　in　the　armchair；　I　will　sit　at　your　feet　and　eat　my
bonbons。〃

He　smiled　as　he　saw　her　take　the　seat　a　short　while　since　occupied
by　Mme。　Walter。　She　too；　called　him　〃darling；　little　one；　dearest；〃
and　the　words　seemed　to　him　sweet　and　caressing　from　her　lips；　while
from　Mme。　Walter's　they　irritated　and　nauseated　him。

Suddenly　he　remembered　the　seventy　thousand　francs　he　was　going　to
make；　and　bluntly　interrupting　Mme。　de　Marelle's　chatter；　he　said：

〃Listen；　my　darling；　I　am　going　to　intrust　you　with　a　message　to
your　husband。　Tell　him　from　me　to　buy　to…morrow　ten　thousand　francs'
worth　of　Moroccan　stock　which　is　at　seventy…two；　and　I　predict　that
before　three　months　are　passed　he　will　have　made　eighty　thousand
francs。　Tell　him　to　maintain　absolute　silence。　Tell　him　that　the
expedition　to　Tangiers；　is　decided　upon；　and　that　the　French
government　will　guarantee　the　Moroccan　debt。　It　is　a　state　secret　I
am　confiding　to　you；　remember！〃

She　listened　to　him　gravely　and　murmured：

〃Thank　you。　I　will　tell　my　husband　this　evening。　You　may　rely　upon
him；　he　will　not　speak　of　it；　he　can　be　depended　upon；　there　is　no
danger。〃

She　had　eaten　all　of　her　bonbons　and　began　to　toy　with　the　buttons
on　his　vest。　Suddenly　she　drew　a　long　hair　out　of　the　buttonhole　and
began　to　laugh。

〃See！　Here　is　one　of　Madeleine's　hairs；　you　are　a　faithful　husband！〃
Then　growing　serious；　she　examined　the　scarcely　perceptible　thread
more　closely　and　said：　〃It　is　not　Madeleine's；　it　is　dark。〃

He　smiled。　〃It　probably　belongs　to　the　housemaid。〃

But　she　glanced　at　the　vest　with　the　care　of　a　police…inspector　and
found　a　second　hair　twisted　around　a　second　button；　then　she　saw　a
third；　and　turning　pale　and　trembling　somewhat；　she　exclaimed：　〃Oh；
some　woman　has　left　hairs　around　all　your　buttons。〃

In　surprise；　he　stammered：　〃Why　youyou　are　mad。〃

She　continued　to　unwind　the　hairs　and　cast　them　upon　the　floor。　With
her　woman's　instinct　she　had　divined　their　meaning　and　gasped　in　her
anger；　ready　to　cry：

〃She　loves　you　and　she　wished　you　to　carry　away　with　you　something
of　hers。　Oh；　you　are　a　traitor。〃　She　uttered　a　shrill；　nervous　cry：
〃Oh；　it　is　an　old　woman's　hairhere　is　a　white　oneyou　have　taken
a　fancy　to　an　old　woman　now。　Then　you　do　not　need　mekeep　the　other
one。〃　She　rose。

He　attempted　to　detain　her　and　stammered：　〃NoCloyou　are　absurd
I　do　not　know　whose　it　islistenstayseestay〃

But　she　repeated：　〃Keep　your　old　womankeep　herhave　a　chain　made
of　her　hairof　her　gray　hairthere　is　enough　for　that〃

Hastily　she　donned　her　hat　and　veil；　and　when　he　attempted　to　touch
her　she　struck　him　in　the　face；　and　made　her　escape　while　he　was
stunned　by　the　blow。　When　he　found　that　he　was　alone；　he　cursed　Mme。
Walter；　bathed　his　face；　and　went　out　vowing　vengeance。　That　time　he
would　not　pardon。　No；　indeed。

He　strolled　to　the　boulevard　and　stopped　at　a　jeweler's　to　look　at　a
chronometer　he　had　wanted　for　some　time　and　which　would　cost
eighteen　hundred　francs。　He　thought　with　joy：　〃If　I　make　my　seventy
thousand　francs；　I　can　pay　for　it〃and　he　began　to　dream　of　all　the
things　he　would　do　when　he　got　the　money。　First　of　all　he　would
become　a　deputy；　then　he　would　buy　the　chronometer；　then　he　would
speculate　on　'Change；　and　then；　and　thenhe　did　not　enter　the
office；　preferring　to　confer　with　Madeleine　before　seeing　Walter
again　and　writing　his　article；　he　turned　toward　home。　He　reached　Rue
Drouot　when　he　paused；　he　had　forgotten　to　inquire　for　Count　de
Vaudrec；　who　lived　on　Chaussee　d'Antin。　He　retraced　his　steps　with　a
light　heart；　thinking　of　a　thousand　thingsof　the　fortune　he　would
make；of　that　rascal　of　a　Laroche；　and　of　old　Walter。

He　was　not　at　all　uneasy　as　to　Clotilde's　anger；　knowing　that　she
would　soon　forgive　him。

When　he　asked　the　janitor　of　the　house　in　which　Count　de　Vaudrec
lived：　〃How　is　M。　de　Vaudrec？　I　have　heard　that　he　has　been　ailing
of　late；〃　the　man　replied；　〃The　Count　is　very　ill；　sir；　they　think
he　will　not　live　through　the　night；　the　gout　has　reached　his　heart。〃

Du　Roy　was　so　startled　he　did　not　know　what　to　do！　Vaudrec　dying！　He
stammered：　〃ThanksI　will　call　again〃unconscious　of　what　he　was
saying。　He　jumped　into　a　cab　and　drove　home。　His　wife　had　returned。
He　entered　her　room　out　of　breath：　〃Did　you　know？　Vaudrec　is　dying！〃

She　was　reading　a　letter　and　turning　to　him　asked：　〃What　did　you
say？〃

〃I　said　that　Vaudrec　is　dying　of　an　attack　of　gout。〃

Then　he　added：　〃What　shall　you　do？〃

She　rose；　her　face　was　livid；　she　burst　into　tears　and　buried　her
face　in　her　hands。　She　remained　standing；　shaken　by　sobs；　torn　by
anguish。　Suddenly　she　conquered　her　grief　and　wiping　her　eyes；　said：
〃I　am　going　to　himdo　not　worry　about　meI　do　not　know　what　time　I
shall　returndo　not　expect　me。〃

He　replied：　〃Very　well。　Go。〃

They　shook　hands　and　she　left　in　such　haste　that　she　forgot　her
gloves。　Georges；　after　dining　alone；　began　to　write　his　article。　He
wrote　it　according　to　the　minister's　instructions；　hinting　to　the
readers　that　the　expedition　to　Morocco　would　not　take　place。　He　took
it；　when　completed；　to　the　office；　conversed　several　moments　with　M。
Walter；　and　set　out　again；　smoking；　with　a　light　heart；　he　knew　not
why。

His　wife　had　not　returned。　He　retired　and　fell　asleep。　Toward
midnight　Madeleine　came　home。　Georges　sat　up　in　bed　and　asked：
〃Well？〃

He　had　never　seen　her　so　pale　and　agitated。　She　whispered：　〃He　is
dead！〃

〃Ahandhe　told　you　nothing？〃

〃Nothing。　He　was　unconscious　when　I　arrived。〃

Questions　which　he　dared　not　ask　arose　to　Georges'　lips。

〃Lie　down　and　rest；〃　said　he。

She　disrobed　hastily　and　slipped　into　bed。

He　continued：　〃Had　he　any　relatives　at　his　death…bed？〃

〃Only　a　nephew。〃

〃Ah！　Did　he　often　see　that　nephew？〃

〃They　had　not　met　for　ten　years。〃

〃Had　he　other　relatives？〃

〃No；　I　believe　not。〃

〃Will　that　nephew　be　his　heir？〃

〃I　do　not　know。〃

〃Was　Vaudrec　very　rich？〃

〃Yes；　very。〃

〃Do　you　know　what　he　was　worth？〃

〃No；　not　exactlyone　or　two　millions　perhaps。〃

He　said　no　more。　She　extinguished　the　light。　He　could　not　sleep。　He
looked　upon　Mme。　Walter's　promised　seventy　thousand　francs　as　very
insignificant。　Suddenly　he　thought　he　heard　Madeleine　crying。　In
order　to　insure　himself　he　asked：　〃Are　you　asleep？〃

〃No。〃　Her　voice　was　tearful　and　unsteady。

He　continued：　〃I　forgot　to　tell　you　that　your　minister　has　deceived
us。〃

〃How？〃

He　gave　her　a　detailed　account　of　the　combination　prepared　by
Laroche　and　Walter。　When　he　concluded　she　asked：　〃How　did　you　know
that？〃

He　replied：　〃Pardon　me　if　I　do　not　tell　you！　You　have　your　means　of
obtaining　information　into　which　I　do　not　inquire；　I　have　mine　which
I　desire　to　keep。　I　can　vouch　at　any　rate　for　the　truth　of　my
statements。〃

She　muttered：　〃It　may　be　possible。　I　suspected　that　they　were　doing
something　without　our　knowledge。〃

As　she　spoke　Georges　drew　near　her；　she　paid　no　heed　to　his
proximity；　however；　and　turning　toward　the　wall；　he　closed　his　eyes
and　fell　asleep。




CHAPTER　XIV。

THE　WILL


The　church　was　draped　in　black；　and　over　the　door　a　large　escutcheon
surmounted　by　a　coronet　announced　to　the　passers…by　that　a　nobleman
was　being　buried。　The　ceremony　was　just　over；　those　present　went　out
slowly；　passing　by　the　coffin；　and　by　Count　de　Vaudrec's　nephew；　who
shook　hands　and　returned　salutations。

When　Georges　du　Roy　and　his　wife　left　the　church；　they　walked　along
side　by　side　on　their　way　home。　They　did　not　speak；　they　were　both
preoccupied。　At　length　Georges　said；　as　if　talking　to　himself：
〃Truly　it　is　very　astonishing！〃

Madeleine　asked：　〃What；　my　friend？〃

〃That　Vaudrec　left　us　nothing。〃

She　blushed　and　said：　〃Why　should　he　leave　us　anything？　Had　he　any
reason　for　doi