He had been quite right, then, in
saying to his mother: "I can never believe that Marguerite deserts
me at a moment when I am so wretched--that she condemns me
unheard, and has no greater confidence in me than in my accusers.
Appearances may indicate the contrary, but I am right." Certain
circumstances, which had previously seemed contradictory, now
strengthened this belief. "How is it," he said to himself, "that
Marguerite writes to me that her father, on his death-bed, made
her promise to renounce me, while Valorsay declares the Count de
Chalusse died so suddenly, that he had not even time to
acknowledge his daughter or to bequeath her his immense fortune?
One of these stories must be false; and which of them? The one in
this note most probably. As for the letter itself, it must have
been the work of Madame Leon."
If he had not already possessed irrefutable proofs of this, the
"Indispensable Letter-writer" would have shown it. The
housekeeper's perturbation when she met him at the garden gate was
now explained. She was shuddering at the thought that she might
be followed and watched, and that Marguerite might appear at any
moment, and discover everything.
"I think it would be a good plan to let this poor young girl know
that her companion is Valorsay's spy," remarked Madame Ferailleur.
Pascal was about to approve this suggestion, when a sudden thought
deterred him.
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