"
Extraordinary as Pascal's explanations must have seemed to her,
Marguerite did not doubt their accuracy in the least. "Then it is
the copy of this letter which you saw in the possession of the
Marquis de Valorsay?"
"Yes."
"And the original?"
"M. de Fondege alone can tell what has become of that. It is
evident that he has somehow succeeded in obtaining possession of
it. Would he have dared to squander money as he has done if he
had not been convinced that there was no proof of his guilt in
existence? Perhaps on hearing of the count's sudden death he
bribed the concierge at the Hotel de Chalusse to watch for this
letter and return it to him. But on this subject I have only
conjectures to offer. If they wish you to marry their son, it is
probably because it seems too hard that you should be left in
abject poverty while they are enjoying the fortune they have
stolen from you. The vilest scoundrels have their scruples.
Besides, a marriage with their son would protect them against any
possible mischance in the future."
He was silent for a moment, and then more slowly resumed: "You
see, Marguerite, we have clear, palpable, and irrefutable proofs
of YOUR innocence; but in my efforts to clear my own name of
disgrace, I have been far less fortunate. I have tried in vain to
collect material proofs of the conspiracy against me.
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