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police would have found nothing to bite。〃
〃My dear Brigitte；〃 said Thuillier； seeing la Peyrade shrug his
shoulders； 〃your argument is vicious in the sense that the writing was
not incriminating on any side。 It is not la Peyrade's fault if persons
of high station have organized a persecution against me。 You remember
that little substitute； Monsieur Olivier Vinet； whom Cardot brought to
one of our receptions。 It seems that he and his father are furious
that we didn't want him for Celeste； and they've sworn my
destruction。〃
〃Well； why did we refuse him；〃 said Brigitte； 〃if it wasn't for the
fine eyes of monsieur here？ For； after all； a substitute in Paris is a
very suitable match。〃
〃No doubt；〃 said la Peyrade； nonchalantly。 〃Only； he did not happen to
bring you a million。〃
〃Ah！〃 cried Brigitte； firing up。 〃If you are going to talk any more
about that house you helped us to buy； I shall tell you plainly that
if you had had the money to trick the notary you never would have come
after us。 You needn't think I have been altogether your dupe。 You
spoke just now of a bargain； but you proposed that bargain yourself。
'Give me Celeste and I'll get you that house；'that's what you said
to us in so many words。 Besides which； we had to pay large sums on
which we never counted。〃
〃Come； come； Brigitte；〃 said Thuillier； 〃you are making a great deal
out of nothing。〃
〃Nothing！ nothing！〃 exclaimed Brigitte。 〃Did we； or did we not； have
to pay much more than we expected？〃
〃My dear Thuillier；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃I think； with you； that the
matter is now settled； and it can only be embittered by discussing it
further。 My course was decided on before I came here； all that I have
now heard can only confirm it。 I shall not be the husband of Celeste；
but you and I can remain good friends。〃
He rose to leave the room。
〃One moment； monsieur；〃 said Brigitte； barring his way； 〃there is one
matter which I do not consider settled； and now that we are no longer
to have interests in common； I should not be sorry if you would be so
good as to tell me what has become of a sum of ten thousand francs
which Thuillier gave you to bribe those rascally government offices in
order to get the cross we have never got。〃
〃Brigitte！〃 cried Thuillier； in anguish； 〃you have a devil of a
tongue！ You ought to be silent about that； I told it to you in a
moment of ill…temper； and you promised me faithfully never to open
your lips about it to any one； no matter who。〃
〃So I did； but；〃 replied the implacable Brigitte； 〃we are parting。
When people part they settle up； they pay their debts。 Ten thousand
francs！ For my part； I thought the cross itself dear at that； but for
a cross that has melted away； monsieur himself will allow the price is
too high。〃
〃Come； la Peyrade； my friend； don't listen to her；〃 said Thuillier；
going up to the barrister； who was pale with anger。 〃The affection she
has for me blinds her； I know very well what government offices are；
and I shouldn't be surprised if you had had to pay out money of your
own。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃I am； unfortunately； not in a position
to return to you； instantly； that money； an accounting for which is so
insolently demanded。 Grant me a short delay； and have the goodness to
accept my note； which I am ready to sign； if that will give you
patience。〃
〃To the devil with your note！〃 cried Thuillier； 〃you owe me nothing；
on the contrary； it is we who owe you； for Cardot told me I ought to
give you at least ten thousand francs for enabling us to buy this
magnificent property。〃
〃Cardot！ Cardot！〃 said Brigitte； 〃he is very generous with other
people's money。 We were giving monsieur Celeste； and that's a good
deal more than ten thousand francs。〃
La Peyrade was too great a comedian not to turn the humiliation he had
just endured into a scene finale。 With tears in his voice； which
presently fell from his eyes； he turned to Brigitte。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he said； 〃when I had the honor to be received by you I
was poor； you long saw me suffering and ill at ease； knowing； alas！
too well； the indignities that poverty must bear。 From the day that I
was able to give you a fortune which I never thought of for myself I
have felt； it is true； more assurance； and your own kindness
encouraged me to rise out of my timidity and depression。 To…day； when
I； by frank and loyal conduct； release you from anxiety；for； if you
chose to be honest； you would acknowledge that you have been thinking
of another husband for Celeste；we might still remain friends； even
though I renounce a marriage which my delicacy forbids me to pursue。
But you have not chosen to restrain yourself with the limits of social
politeness； of which you have a model beside you in Madame de Godollo；
who； I am persuaded； although she is not at all friendly to me； would
never have approved of your odious behavior。 Thank Heaven！ I have in
my heart some religious sentiment at least； the Gospel is not to me a
mere dead…letter； andunderstand me well； mademoiselleI FORGIVE
YOU。 It is not to Thuillier； who would refuse them； but to you that I
shall； before long； pay the ten thousand francs which you insinuate I
have applied to my own purposes。 If； by the time they are returned to
you； you feel regret for your unjust suspicions； and are unwilling to
accept the money； I request that you will turn it over to the bureau
of Benevolence to the poor〃
〃To the bureau of Benevolence！〃 cried Brigitte； interrupting him。 〃No；
I thank you！ the idea of all that money being distributed among a
crowd of do…nothings and devotes； who'll spend it in junketing！ I've
been poor too； my lad； I made bags for the money of others long before
I had any money of my own； I have some now； and I take care of it。 So；
whenever you will； I am ready to receive that ten thousand francs and
keep it。 If you didn't know how to do what you undertook to do； and
spent that money in trying to put salt on a sparrow's tail； so much
the worse for you。〃
Seeing that he had missed his effect； and had made not the slightest
impression on Brigitte's granite； la Peyrade cast a disdainful look
upon her and left the room majestically。 As he did so he noticed a
movement made by Thuillier to follow him； and also the imperious
gesture of Brigitte； always queen and mistress； which nailed her
brother to his chair。
CHAPTER VIII
At the moment when la Peyrade was preparing to lay at the feet of the
countess the liberty he had recovered in so brutal a manner； he
received a perfumed note； which made his heart beat； for on the seal
was that momentous 〃All or Nothing〃 which she had given him as the
rule of the relation now to be inaugurated between them。 The contents
of the note were as follows：
Dear Monsieur；I have heard of the step you have taken； thank
you！ But I must now prepare to take my own。 I cannot； as you may
well think； continue to live in this house； and among these people
who are so little of our own class and with whom we have nothing
in common。 To arrange this transaction； and to avoid explanations
of the fact that the entresol welcomes the voluntary exile from
the first…floor； I need to…day and to…morrow to myself。 Do not
therefore come to see me until the day after。 By that time I shall
have executed Brigitte； as they say at the Bourse； and have much
to tell you。
Tua tota；
Torna de Godollo。
That 〃Wholly thine〃 in Latin seemed charming to la Peyrade； who was
not； however； astonished； for Latin is a second national language to
the Hungarians。 The two days' waiting to which he was thus condemned
only fanned the flame of the ardent passion which possessed him； and
on the third day when reached the house by the Madeleine his love had
risen to a degree of incandescence of which only a few days earlier he
would scarcely have supposed himself capable。
This time the porter's wife perceived him； but he was now quite
indifferent as to whether or not the object of his visit should be
known。 The ice was broken； his happiness was soon to be official； and
he was more disposed to cry it aloud in the streets than to make a
mystery of it。
Running lightly up the stairs； he prepared to ring the bell； when； on
putting out his hand to reach the silken bell…cord he perceived that
the bell…cord had disappeared。 La Peyrade's first thought was that one
of those serious illnesses which make all noises intolerable to a
patient would explain its absence； but with the thought came other
observations that weakened it； and which； moreover； were not in
themselves comforting。
From the vestibule to the countess's door a stair carpet； held at each
step by a brass rod； made a soft ascent to the feet of visitors； this；
too； had been removed。 A screen…door covered with green velvet and
studded with brass nails had hitherto protected the entrance to the
apartment； of that no sign； except the injury to the wall done by the
workmen in taking it away。 For a moment the barrister thought； in his
agitation； that he must have mistaken the floor； but； casting his eye
over the baluster he saw that he had not passed the entresol。 Madame
de Godollo must； therefore； be in the act of moving