He was silent and subdued; and
his relief was evident when, after the coffee had been served, his
wife exclaimed: "We won't keep you from your club, my dear. I
want a chat with our dear child."
Since she dismissed the General so unceremoniously, Madame de
Fondege evidently wished for a tete-a-tete with Mademoiselle
Marguerite. At least Madame Leon thought so, or feigned to think
so, and addressing the young girl, she said: "I shall be obliged
to leave you for a couple of hours, my dear young lady. My
relatives would never forgive me if I did not inform them of my
change of residence."
This was the first time since she had been engaged by the Count de
Chalusse, that the estimable "companion" had ever made any direct
allusion to her relatives, and what is more, to relatives residing
in Paris. She had previously only spoken of them in general
terms, giving people to understand that her relatives had not been
unfortunate like herself--that they still retained their exalted
rank, though she had fallen, and that she found it difficult to
decline the favors they longed to heap upon her.
However, Mademoiselle Marguerite evinced no surprise. "Go at once
and inform your relatives, my dear Leon," she said, without a
shade of sarcasm in her manner. "I hope they won't be offended by
your devotion to me." But in her secret heart, she thought: "This
hypocrite is going to report to the Marquis de Valorsay, and these
relatives of hers will furnish her with excuses for future visits
to him.
Pages:
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186