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Monsieur Jules then said to the footmen composedly： 〃You can take
away； I shall go and sit with madame。〃
He went to his wife's room and found her weeping； but endeavoring to
smother her sobs with her handkerchief。
〃Why do you weep？〃 said Jules； 〃you need expect no violence and no
reproaches from me。 Why should I avenge myself？ If you have not been
faithful to my love； it is that you were never worthy of it。〃
〃Not worthy？〃 The words were repeated amid her sobs and the accent in
which they were said would have moved any other man than Jules。
〃To kill you； I must love more than perhaps I do love you；〃 he
continued。 〃But I should never have the courage； I would rather kill
myself； leaving you to yourhappiness； and withwhom！〃
He did not end his sentence。
〃Kill yourself！〃 she cried； flinging herself at his feet and clasping
them。
But he； wishing to escape the embrace； tried to shake her off；
dragging her in so doing toward the bed。
〃Let me alone；〃 he said。
〃No； no； Jules！〃 she cried。 〃If you love me no longer I shall die。 Do
you wish to know all？〃
〃Yes。〃
He took her； grasped her violently； and sat down on the edge of the
bed； holding her between his legs。 Then； looking at that beautiful
face now red as fire and furrowed with tears；
〃Speak；〃 he said。
Her sobs began again。
〃No； it is a secret of life and death。 If I tell it； INo； I cannot。
Have mercy； Jules！〃
〃You have betrayed me〃
〃Ah！ Jules； you think so now； but soon you will know all。〃
〃But this Ferragus； this convict whom you go to see； a man enriched by
crime； if he does not belong to you； if you do not belong to him〃
〃Oh； Jules！〃
〃Speak！ Is he your mysterious benefactor？the man to whom we owe our
fortune； as persons have said already？〃
〃Who said that？〃
〃A man whom I killed in a duel。〃
〃Oh； God！ one death already！〃
〃If he is not your protector； if he does not give you money； if it is
you； on the contrary； who carry money to him； tell me； is he your
brother？〃
〃What if he were？〃 she said。
Monsieur Desmarets crossed his arms。
〃Why should that have been concealed from me？〃 he said。 〃Then you and
your mother have both deceived me？ Besides； does a woman go to see her
brother every day； or nearly every day？〃
His wife had fainted at his feet。
〃Dead；〃 he said。 〃And suppose I am mistaken？〃
He sprang to the bell…rope； called Josephine； and lifted Clemence to
the bed。
〃I shall die of this；〃 said Madame Jules； recovering consciousness。
〃Josephine；〃 cried Monsieur Desmarets。 〃Send for Monsieur Desplein；
send also to my brother and ask him to come here immediately。〃
〃Why your brother？〃 asked Clemence。
But Jules had already left the room。
CHAPTER IV
WHERE GO TO DIE？
For the first time in five years Madame Jules slept alone in her bed；
and was compelled to admit a physician into that sacred chamber。 These
in themselves were two keen pangs。 Desplein found Madame Jules very
ill。 Never was a violent emotion more untimely。 He would say nothing
definite； and postponed till the morrow giving any opinion； after
leaving a few directions； which were not executed； the emotions of the
heart causing all bodily cares to be forgotten。
When morning dawned； Clemence had not yet slept。 Her mind was absorbed
in the low murmur of a conversation which lasted several hours between
the brothers； but the thickness of the walls allowed no word which
could betray the object of this long conference to reach her ears。
Monsieur Desmarets； the notary； went away at last。 The stillness of
the night； and the singular activity of the senses given by powerful
emotion； enabled Clemence to distinguish the scratching of a pen and
the involuntary movements of a person engaged in writing。 Those who
are habitually up at night； and who observe the different acoustic
effects produced in absolute silence； know that a slight echo can be
readily perceived in the very places where louder but more equable and
continued murmurs are not distinct。 At four o'clock the sound ceased。
Clemence rose； anxious and trembling。 Then； with bare feet and without
a wrapper； forgetting her illness and her moist condition； the poor
woman opened the door softly without noise and looked into the next
room。 She saw her husband sitting； with a pen in his hand； asleep in
his arm…chair。 The candles had burned to the sockets。 She slowly
advanced and read on an envelope； already sealed； the words； 〃This is
my will。〃
She knelt down as if before an open grave and kissed her husband's
hand。 He woke instantly。
〃Jules； my friend； they grant some days to criminals condemned to
death；〃 she said； looking at him with eyes that blazed with fever and
with love。 〃Your innocent wife asks only two。 Leave me free for two
days； andwait！ After that； I shall die happyat least； you will
regret me。〃
〃Clemence； I grant them。〃
Then； as she kissed her husband's hands in the tender transport of her
heart； Jules； under the spell of that cry of innocence； took her in
his arms and kissed her forehead； though ashamed to feel himself still
under subjection to the power of that noble beauty。
On the morrow； after taking a few hours' rest； Jules entered his
wife's room； obeying mechanically his invariable custom of not leaving
the house without a word to her。 Clemence was sleeping。 A ray of light
passing through a chink in the upper blind of a window fell across the
face of the dejected woman。 Already suffering had impaired her
forehead and the freshness of her lips。 A lover's eye could not fail
to notice the appearance of dark blotches； and a sickly pallor in
place of the uniform tone of the cheeks and the pure ivory whiteness
of the skin；two points at which the sentiments of her noble soul
were artlessly wont to show themselves。
〃She suffers；〃 thought Jules。 〃Poor Clemence！ May God protect us！〃
He kissed her very softly on the forehead。 She woke； saw her husband；
and remembered all。 Unable to speak； she took his hand； her eyes
filling with tears。
〃I am innocent；〃 she said； ending her dream。
〃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