Wait here."
He went off, leaving M. Wilkie in the vestibule to settle his
collar and twirl his puny mustaches, with affected indifference;
but in reality he was far from comfortable. For the servants did
not hesitate to stare at him, and it was quite impossible not to
read their contempt in their glances. They even sneered audibly
and pointed at him; and he heard five or six epithets more
expressive than elegant which could only have been meant for
himself. "The fools!" thought he, boiling with anger. "The
scoundrels! Ah! if I dared. If a gentleman like myself was
allowed to notice such blackguards, how I'd chastise them!"
But the valet who had gone to warn Madame d'Argeles soon
reappeared and put an end to his sufferings. "Madame will see
you," said the man, impudently. "Ah! if I were in her place----"
"Come, make haste," rejoined Wilkie, indignantly, and following
the servant, he was ushered into a room which had already been
divested of its hangings, curtains, and furniture. He here found
Madame d'Argeles engaged in packing a large trunk with household
linen and sundry articles of clothing.
By a sort of miracle the unfortunate woman had survived the
terrible shock which had at first threatened to have an
immediately fatal effect. Still she had none the less received
her death-blow. It was only necessary to look at her to be
assured of that.
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