If he advised such a step, it
was because he deemed it best and necessary; and she willingly
submitted to the instructions of the man in whom she felt such
unbounded confidence.
Having told Chupin that she might be relied upon for the evening,
she was retracing her way home, when suddenly the thought occurred
to her that she ought not to neglect this opportunity to place a
decisive weapon in Pascal's hands. She was close to the Rue Notre
Dame de Lorette and so without more ado she hurried to the
establishment of Carjat the photographer. He was fortunately
disengaged, and she at once obtained from him a proof of the
compromising letter written by the Marquis de Valorsay to Madame
Leon. She placed it carefully in her pocket, thanked the
photographer, and then hurried back to the Rue Pigalle to wait for
the hour appointed in Pascal's letter. Fortunately none of her
unpleasant apprehensions were realized. The dinner-hour came and
passed, and still the house remained deserted. The workmen had
gone off and the laughter and chatter of the servants in the
kitchen were the only sounds that broke the stillness. Faint for
want of food--for she had taken no nourishment during the day--
Marguerite had considerable difficulty in obtaining something to
eat from the servants. At last, however, they gave her some soup
and cold meat, served on a corner of the bare table in the dining-
room.
Pages:
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456