If he had been obliged to depend
upon himself he would perhaps have been conquered by it; but he
was armed with weapons which had been furnished by the cunning
viscount. So he shrugged his shoulders, and coolly replied: "In
that case we should remain poor, and the government would take
possession of our millions. One moment. I have something to say
in this matter. You may renounce your claim, but I shall not
renounce mine. I am your son, and I shall claim the property."
"Even if I entreated you on my knees not to do so?"
"Yes."
Madame d'Argeles's eyes flashed. "Very well. I will show you
that this estate can never be yours. By what right will you lay
claim to it? Because you are my son? But I will deny that you are.
I will declare upon oath that you are nothing to me, and that I
don't even know you."
But even this did not daunt Wilkie. He drew from his pocket a
scrap of paper, and flourishing it triumphantly, he exclaimed: "It
would be extremely cruel on your part to deny me, but I foresaw
such a contingency, and here is my answer, copied from the civil
code: 'Article 341. Inquiry as to maternity allowed, etc., etc.'"
What the exact bearing of Wilkie's threat might be Madame
d'Argeles did not know. But she felt that this Article 341 would
no doubt destroy her last hope; for the person who had chosen this
weapon from the code to place it in Wilkie's hand must have chosen
it carefully.
Pages:
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159