The Mysteries of Paris V2
white, and pale blue eyes, almost round; her speech honeyed,
man is the Viscount de
d, when the vi
, let us talk of busin
shed to consult me o
olidori referred me to you? Apropos, have you heard f
notary had seen Polidori recently (one of his two accomplices), and had proposed to him to go to Asnieres, to the Martials, the freshwater pirates (of whom we shall speak presently), under the
ubled; my husband is sick-he grows worse daily. Without causing me serious fears, his c
s the m
of his final arrangem
er face in her handker
ary; "but this precaution is not alarm
well, when he touches on
said nothi
manner, "I believe he wishes not only to give me all the la
all we s
which brought me here. Well, D'Orbigny carries his kindness so far as to
a magnificent property. You know my roughness in business. It imports little to me that M. d'Harville is my client; that which I plead is the cause of justice. If your husband takes to
t as you have said: 'Your daughter has treated you bad
right; and what
t leave the rest to you, my tender friend, the sole support, the sole consolation of my old age, my guardian angel?' I repeat these too flattering words," said Madam
ot know M.
ery one else, kn
d he addres
finds your delicacy compromised by your acceptance of my offer, we will talk no more about it; if not, you acquiesce.' 'I consent,' said I, and in this way you have become our arbitrator. 'If he approves,' add
tacles than at this moment. Without them, Madame d'Orbigny
h time that I have been chosen an arbiter, always under pretext of my probity; that is the on
l write to M. d'Orbigny; he awaits your letter,
much
it was about four or fiv
ted yourself to M. d'Orbigny. His daughter is very rich-you have n
ike every one else, of the proverbial honesty of the n
accept,
n," said Madame d'O
the door. "Who is i
p, the Count
wait a
d'Orbigny; "you will write to my husband, since he de
ll wr
orthy and go
h deposits-the responsibility which bears on us. I tell you there is nothing more det
iration of g
an here below the recompense I seek fo
y succeeded Counte
ignorant of the object of her visit. He observed her very closely, in the hope to make a new dupe; and, notwithstanding t
You asked for a meeting, madame, yesterday. I was so much occupied that I cou
greatest importance. Your reputation has made m
ir. "I know, sir, that your
y duty,
a rigid and inc
ed, ma
you to restore life-more than life-reason to an unh
, madame, I
ame to propose to you to take, for an annuity, the sum of one hundred and fifty tho
said the notary, avo
francs. The one-half of this amount was to be added to the capital until its majority; the
nue, m
out being able to conquer a slight emotion,
ion, madame, I shall ask you what
he publication of the death of this poor little thing, the letters from the person who had car
these pape
word, Sarah drew from a portfolio several
ty thousand crowns became the property of M. Petit Jean, my client, by the death of th
sed to acknowledge it. The woman to whom the child was confided has also a ri
h her conduct, that, after the death of the chil
n is in your
n years, as
will grant a demand which will appear strange, perhaps, even cu
ot think you are any more capable
ld address such a request; but I place all my hopes-my sole
, ma
such a state, her grief is as poignant at the present day as it was fourteen ye
" said Ferran
e lost her; while now circumstances are such, that my sister, if her child still lived, could own her, be pro
nothing can be
, y
, ma
her. 'Your child was supposed to be dead; she is not;
ruel, madame. Why cause vain
od, sir; or, rather, if this s
ayers joined to yours, I would pray from the bottom o
is dead: and yet, if you wish i
n enigma
s. My niece died at six years. Separated from her parents at this tender age, they have no recollection of her. Suppose that a young girl of seventeen could be found; that my sister should be told, 'Her
without interrupting her, rose suddenly, and cried, in an in
ir
al action! It is the first time in my life that I have recei
tterly the child they have lost; to deceive them is to restore to them happiness-life; it is to assu
sing indignation, "I see how the most
ref
shame to see a woman of your rank contriving such abo
ir
am not a gallant, not I.
ne of her dark looks, and
insult,
e ca
rea
ey will not be in vain, learn, in the
, mad
mother of
ou
u. You are without pity: I raise the
o lend myself to a crimi
putation as an honest man i
lost your reason before you would ha
pect these reputations of such strict virtue, which often co
to say thi
do not know wherefore, I doubted that you deser
doubt does honor to
othing-on mere instinct-on inexplicable present
this conversa
r, I will pretend she is not dead; the most unlikely events are often brought about. You are at this moment in such a position th
ou
e the greatest interest in having it believed that she still lives, although lost, this process will serve me in giving much notoriety to this affair; a mother
wicked. Why should I? F
ld is dead, if
are plenty. But a thought! ah! an excellent one: wishing to divide with your cl
d his shoulders. "If I had been criminal enough to do th
ation: T
ather of my child would not discuss the probability of such a resurrection, if our falsehoods, which will render him so happy, are adroitly combined. He has, besides, no other proofs of the death of our child, than what I wrote to him fourteen years since; it will be easy for me to persuade him that I deceived him on this subject; for then I had just cause of complaint against him. I will tell him that in my anger I wi
efore. He was too cunning, and knew too well the perils of his situation, not to comprehend the bearing of Sarah's threats. Although admirably constructed, the edifice of the notary's reputation was built on sand. The public as easily detach as they attach themselves,
and in their vengeance. Wishing to give himself time to seek some means to avoid the dangerous blow, Ferrand said coldly to Sarah, "You have asked until noon to-morrow. It is I, madame, who give you until the next day to renounce a project, of which you know not the
I grant it to you. The day after to-morrow, at this hour, I will return here, and it shall be between
position of mind, that he will not desire anything better than to be the dupe of a falsehood, to which, with the aid of the notary, I can give every appearance of truth? And the notary will assist me for I have alarmed him. I can easily find a young orphan girl, interesting and poor who, instructed by me, will fill the part of our child, so bitterly regretted by Rudolph. I know the grandeur and generosity of his heart. Yes, to give a name and rank to