Still, after weighing all the advantages and
all the dangers, he decided to act, convinced that Madame
d'Argeles might be kept ignorant of his treason, providing he only
played his cards skilfully. And his matutinal visit to M. Wilkie
was caused by a fear that he might not be the only person knowing
the truth, and that some one else might forestall him.
"You here, at sunrise, my friend!" exclaimed Wilkie, as he entered
the room where the viscount was seated. "What has happened?"
"To me?--nothing," replied the viscount. "It was solely on your
account that I deviated from my usual habits."
"What is it? You frighten me."
"Oh! don't be alarmed. I have only some good news to
communicate," and in a careless tone which cleverly concealed his
anxiety, the viscount added: "I have come, my dear Wilkie, to ask
you what you would be willing to give the man who put you in
possession of a fortune of several millions?"
M. Wilkie's face turned from white to purple at least three times
in ten seconds; and it was in a strangely altered voice that he
replied: "Ah! that's good--very good--excellent!" He tried his
best to laugh, but he was completely overcome; and, in fact, he
had cherished so many extravagant hopes that nothing seemed
impossible to him.
"Never in all my life have I spoken more seriously," insisted the
viscount.
His companion at first made no reply.
Pages:
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102