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guard his wife。
〃Explain yourself； my dear；〃 said Florine； 〃and don't think I shall
stand this long。 No one can tear Raoul from me； I'll tell you that； I
hold him by habit； and that's even stronger than love。〃
〃In the first place； are you Florine？〃 said the count； speaking in his
natural voice。
〃A pretty question！ if you don't know that； my joking friend； why
should I believe you？〃
〃Go and ask Nathan； who has left you to look for his other mistress；
where he passed the night； three days ago。 He tried to kill himself
without a word to you； my dear；and all for want of money。 That shows
how much you know about the affairs of a man whom you say you love；
and who leaves you without a penny； and kills himself；or； rather；
doesn't kill himself； for his misses it。 Suicides that don't kill are
about as absurd as a duel without a scratch。〃
〃That's a lie；〃 said Florine。 〃He dined with me that very day。 The
poor fellow had the sheriff after him； he was hiding； as well he
might。〃
〃Go and ask at the hotel du Mail； rue du Mail； if he was not taken
there that morning； half dead of the fumes of charcoal； by a handsome
young woman with whom he has been in love over a year。 Her letters are
at this moment under your very nose in your own house。 If you want to
teach Nathan a good lesson； let us all three go there； and I'll show
you； papers in hand； how you can save him from the sheriff and Clichy
if you choose to be the good girl that you are。〃
〃Try that on others than Florine； my little man。 I am certain that
Nathan has never been in love with any one but me。〃
〃On the contrary； he has been in love with a woman in society for over
a year〃
〃A woman in society； he！〃 cried Florine。 〃I don't trouble myself about
such nonsense as that。〃
〃Well； do you want me to make him come and tell you that he will not
take you home from here to…night。〃
〃If you can make him tell me that；〃 said Florine； 〃I'll take YOU home；
and we'll look for those letters； which I shall believe in when I see
them； and not till then。 He must have written them while I slept。〃
〃Stay here；〃 said Felix； 〃and watch。〃
So saying； he took the arm of his wife and moved to a little distance。
Presently； Nathan； who had been hunting up and down the foyer like a
dog looking for its master； returned to the spot where the mask had
addressed him。 Seeing on his face an expression he could not conceal；
Florine placed herself like a post in front of him； and said；
imperiously：
〃I don't wish you to leave me again； I have my reasons for this。〃
The countess then； at the instigation of her husband； went up to Raoul
and said in his ear；
〃Marie。 Who is this woman？ Leave her at once； and meet me at the foot
of the grand staircase。〃
In this difficult extremity Raoul dropped Florine's arm； and though
she caught his own and held it forcibly； she was obliged； after a
moment； to let him go。 Nathan disappeared into the crowd。
〃What did I tell you？〃 said Felix in Florine's astonished ears；
offering her his arm。
〃Come；〃 she said； 〃whoever you are； come。 Have you a carriage here？〃
For all answer； Vandenesse hurried Florine away； followed by his wife。
A few moments later the three masks； driven rapidly by the Vandenesse
coachman； reached Florine's house。 As soon as she had entered her own
apartments the actress unmasked。 Madame de Vandenesse could not
restrain a quiver of surprise at Florine's beauty as she stood there
choking with anger； and superb in her wrath and jealousy。
〃There is； somewhere in these rooms；〃 said Vandenesse； 〃a portfolio；
the key of which you have never had； the letters are probably in it。〃
〃Well； well； for once in my life I am bewildered； you know something
that I have been uneasy about for some days；〃 cried Florine； rushing
into the study in search of the portfolio。
Vandenesse saw that his wife was turning pale beneath her mask。
Florine's apartment revealed more about the intimacy of the actress
and Nathan than any ideal mistress would wish to know。 The eye of a
woman can take in the truth of such things in a second； and the
countess saw vestiges of Nathan which proved to her the certainty of
what Vandenesse had said。 Florine returned with the portfolio。
〃How am I to open it？〃 she said。
The actress rang the bell and sent into the kitchen for the cook's
knife。 When it came she brandished it in the air； crying out in
ironical tones：
〃With this they cut the necks of 'poulets。'〃
The words； which made the countess shiver； explained to her； even
better than her husband had done the night before； the depths of the
abyss into which she had so nearly fallen。
〃What a fool I am！〃 said Florine； 〃his razor will do better。〃
She fetched one of Nathan's razors from his dressing…table； and slit
the leather cover of the portfolio； through which Marie's letters
dropped。 Florine snatched one up hap…hazard； and looked it over。
〃Yes； she must be a well…bred woman。 It looks to me as if there were
no mistakes in spelling here。〃
The count gathered up the letters hastily and gave them to his wife；
who took them to a table as if to see that they were all there。
〃Now；〃 said Vandenesse to Florine； 〃will you let me have those letters
for these？〃 showing her five bank…bills of ten thousand francs each。
〃They'll replace the sums you have paid for him。〃
〃Ah！〃 cried Florine； 〃didn't I kill myself body and soul in the
provinces to get him money；I； who'd have cut my hand off to serve
him？ But that's men！ damn your soul for them and they'll march over
you rough…shod！ He shall pay me for this！〃
Madame de Vandenesse was disappearing with the letters。
〃Hi！ stop； stop； my fine mask！〃 cried Florine； 〃leave me one to
confound him with。〃
〃Not possible；〃 said Vandenesse。
〃Why not？〃
〃That mask is your ex…rival； but you needn't fear her now。〃
〃Well； she might have had the grace to say thank you；〃 cried Florine。
〃But you have the fifty thousand francs instead；〃 said Vandenesse；
bowing to her。
It is extremely rare for young men； when driven to suicide； to attempt
it a second time if the first fails。 When it doesn't cure life； it
cures all desire for voluntary death。 Raoul felt no disposition to try
it again when he found himself in a more painful position than that
from which he had just been rescued。 He tried to see the countess and
explain to her the nature of his love； which now shone more vividly in
his soul than ever。 But the first time they met in society； Madame de
Vandenesse gave him that fixed and contemptuous look which at once and
forever puts an impassable gulf between a man and a woman。 In spite of
his natural assurance； Nathan never dared； during the rest of the
winter； either to speak to the countess or even approach her。
But he opened his heart to Blondet； to him he talked of his Laura and
his Beatrice； apropos of Madame de Va