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〃You will not go out to…day； will you？〃 asked Jules。
〃No； I feel too weak to leave my bed。〃
〃If you should change your mind； wait till I return；〃 said Jules。
Then he went down to the porter's lodge。
〃Fouguereau； you will watch the door yourself to…day。 I wish to know
exactly who comes to the house； and who leaves it。〃
Then he threw himself into a hackney…coach； and was driven to the
hotel de Maulincour； where he asked for the baron。
〃Monsieur is ill；〃 they told him。
Jules insisted on entering； and gave his name。 If he could not see the
baron； he wished to see the vidame or the dowager。 He waited some time
in the salon； where Madame de Maulincour finally came to him and told
him that her grandson was much too ill to receive him。
〃I know； madame； the nature of his illness from the letter you did me
the honor to write； and I beg you to believe〃
〃A letter to you； monsieur； written by me！〃 cried the dowager；
interrupting him。 〃I have written you no letter。 What was I made to
say in that letter； monsieur？〃
〃Madame；〃 replied Jules； 〃intending to see Monsieur de Maulincour
to…day； I thought it best to preserve the letter in spite of its
injunction to destroy it。 There it is。〃
Madame de Maulincour put on her spectacles； and the moment she cast
her eyes on the paper she showed the utmost surprise。
〃Monsieur；〃 she said； 〃my writing is so perfectly imitated that； if
the matter were not so recent； I might be deceived myself。 My grandson
is ill； it is true； but his reason has never for a moment been
affected。 We are the puppets of some evil…minded person or persons；
and yet I cannot imagine the object of a trick like this。 You shall
see my grandson； monsieur； and you will at once perceive that he is
perfectly sound in mind。〃
She rang the bell； and sent to ask if the baron felt able to receive
Monsieur Desmarets。 The servant returned with an affirmative answer。
Jules went to the baron's room； where he found him in an arm…chair
near the fire。 Too feeble to move； the unfortunate man merely bowed
his head with a melancholy gesture。 The Vidame de Pamiers was sitting
with him。
〃Monsieur le baron；〃 said Jules； 〃I have something to say which makes
it desirable that I should see you alone。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 replied Auguste； 〃Monsieur le vidame knows about this
affair； you can speak fearlessly before him。〃
〃Monsieur le baron；〃 said Jules； in a grave voice； 〃you have troubled
and well…nigh destroyed my happiness without having any right to do
so。 Until the moment when we can see clearly which of us should
demand； or grant； reparation to the other； you are bound to help me in
following the dark and mysterious path into which you have flung me。 I
have now come to ascertain from you the present residence of the
extraordinary being who exercises such a baneful effect on your life
and mine。 On my return home yesterday； after listening to your
avowals； I received that letter。〃
Jules gave him the forged letter。
〃This Ferragus； this Bourignard； or this Monsieur de Funcal； is a
demon！〃 cried Maulincour； after having read it。 〃Oh； what a frightful
maze I put my foot into when I meddled in this matter！ Where am I
going？ I did wrong； monsieur；〃 he continued； looking at Jules； 〃but
death is the greatest of all expiations； and my death is now
approaching。 You can ask me whatever you like； I am at your orders。〃
〃Monsieur； you know； of course； where this man is living； and I must
know it if it costs me all my fortune to penetrate this mystery。 In
presence of so cruel an enemy every moment is precious。〃
〃Justin shall tell you all；〃 replied the baron。
At these words the vidame fidgeted on his chair。 Auguste rang the
bell。
〃Justin is not in the house！〃 cried the vidame； in a hasty manner that
told much。
〃Well； then；〃 said Auguste； excitedly； 〃the other servants must know
where he is； send a man on horseback to fetch him。 Your valet is in
Paris； isn't he？ He can be found。〃
The vidame was visibly distressed。
〃Justin can't come； my dear boy；〃 said the old man； 〃he is dead。 I
wanted to conceal the accident from you； but〃
〃Dead！〃 cried Monsieur de Maulincour；〃dead！ When and how？〃
〃Last night。 He had been supping with some old friends； and； I dare
say； was drunk； his friendsno doubt they were drunk； tooleft him
lying in the street； and a heavy vehicle ran over him。〃
〃The convict did not miss /him/； at the first stroke he killed；〃 said
Auguste。 〃He has had less luck with me； it has taken four blows to put
me out of the way。〃
Jules was gloomy and thoughtful。
〃Am I to know nothing； then？〃 he cried； after a long pause。 〃Your
valet seems to have been justly punished。 Did he not exceed your
orders in calumniating Madame Desmarets to a person named Ida； whose
jealousy he roused in order to turn her vindictiveness upon us？〃
〃Ah； monsieur！ in my anger I informed him about Madame Jules；〃 said
Auguste。
〃Monsieur！〃 cried the husband； keenly irritated。
〃Oh； monsieur！〃 replied the baron； claiming silence by a gesture； 〃I
am prepared for all。 You cannot tell me anything my own conscience has
not already told me。 I am now expecting the most celebrated of all
professors of toxicology； in order to learn my fate。 If I am destined
to intolerable suffering； my resolution is taken。 I shall blow my
brains out。〃
〃You talk like a child！〃 cried the vidame； horrified by the coolness
with which the baron said these words。 〃Your grandmother would die of
grief。〃
〃Then； monsieur；〃 said Jules； 〃am I to understand that there exist no
means of discovering in what part of Paris this extraordinary man
resides？〃
〃I think； monsieur；〃 said the old vidame； 〃from what I have heard poor
Justin say； that Monsieur de Funcal lives at either the Portuguese or
the Brazilian embassy。 Monsieur de Funcal is a nobleman belonging to
both those countries。 As for the convict； he is dead and buried。 Your
persecutor； whoever he is； seems to me so powerful that it would be
well to take no decisive measures until you are sure of some way of
confounding and crushing him。 Act prudently and with caution； my dear
monsieur。 Had Monsieur de Maulincour followed my advice； nothing of
all this would have happened。〃
Jules coldly but politely withdrew。 He was now at a total loss to know
how to reach Ferragus。 As he passed into his own house； the porter
told him that Madame had just been out to throw a letter into the post
box at the head of the rue de Menars。 Jules felt humiliated by this
proof of the insight with which the porter espoused his cause； and the
cleverness by which he guessed the way to serve him。 The eagerness of
servants； and their shrewdness in compromising masters who compromised
themselves； was known to him； and he fully appreciated the danger of
having them as accomplices； no matter for what purpose。 But he could
not think of his personal dignity until the moment when he found
himself thus suddenly degraded。 What a triumph for the slave who could
not raise himself to his master； to compel his master to come down to
his level！ Jules was harsh and hard to him。 Another fault。 But he
suffered so deeply！ His life till then so upright； so pure； was
becoming crafty； he was to scheme and lie。 Clemence was scheming and
lying。 This to him was a moment of horrible disgust。 Lost in a flood
of bitter feelings； Jules stood motionless at the door of his house。
Yielding to despair； he thought of fleeing； of leaving France forever；
carrying with him the illusions of uncertainty。 Then； again； not
doubting that the letter Clemence had just posted was addressed to
Ferragus； his mind searched for a means of obtaining the answer that
mysterious being was certain to send。 Then his thoughts began to
analyze the singular good fortune of his life since his marriage； and
he asked himself whether the calumny for which he had taken such
signal vengeance was not a truth。 Finally； reverting to the coming
answer； he said to himself：
〃But this man； so profoundly capable； so logical in his every act； who
sees and foresees； who calculates； and even divines； our very
thoughts； is he likely to make an answer？ Will he not employ some
other means more in keeping with his power？ He may send his answer by
some beggar； or in a carton brought by an honest man； who does not
suspect what he brings； or in some parcel of shoes； which a shop…girl
may innocently deliver to my wife。 If Clemence and he have agreed upon
such means〃
He distrusted all things； his mind ran over vast tracts and shoreless
oceans of conjecture。 Then； after floating for a time among a thousand
contradictory ideas； he felt he was strongest in his own house； and he
resolved to watch it as the ant…lion watches his sandy labyrinth。
〃Fouguereau；〃 he said to the porter； 〃I am not at home to any one who
comes to see me。 If any one calls to see madame； or brings her
anything； ring twice。 Bring all letters addressed here to me； no
matter for whom they are intended。〃
〃Thus；〃 thought he； as he entered his study； which was in the
entresol； 〃I forestall the schemes of this Ferragus。 If he sends some
one to ask for me so as to find out if Clemence is alone； at least I
shall not be tricked like a foo