Fromont and Risler -- Volume 4

, he slept with clenched fists, the deep sleep of complete prostration like that of a condemned man on the eve of his execution or of a defeated General on t

hey were. He felt a shock throughout his whole being, and, even before his mind began to work, that vague impression of melancholy which misfortunes, momentarily forgotten, leave in their place.

luntary movement toward the dark side of the room, as

then other bells in the

ge

ady! How I

thought that the drama of settling-day had passed off without

e garden. And it was so long since they had spoken to each other! What in heaven's na

not go out

y n

I will expla

tter? Did any one

ame-the note

ai

superb jewels. The diamond necklace alone brought twenty thousand francs. He has also sold their house at Asnier

e spoke. He, on his side, hung

ued, "and when he learned from whom his

d Georges in dis

replied, lower

n turned pale,

then

ight, I told you I had heard very cruel things down at Savigny, and that

air

sad, so resolute, her despair was so plainly written in the stern indifference of her whole bearin

ve!-fo

in; you were mistaken. While one is young and strong as we are, such cowardly conduct is not permissible. We are armed against want and can fight

to owe their brilliancy, their saucy, insolent charm to the false glamour of the footlights in some cheap theatre. The touch of statuesque immobility formerly noticeable in Claire's face was vivified by anxiety, by doubt, by all the torture of passion; a

cause of their separation and all the obstacles that he now knew to stand between them. Remorse, despair,

what you remind me, if you knew what a lying face,

orges with a shudder. "Claire, I imp

some one knoc

ims upon us," she said in a low voice and with

ent for Monsieur to c

e said; "say th

ed the door, but

o. He must no

ut

ion and wrath of that poor man, whom you have deceived. If

with a curiosity most cruel to herself; bu

belongs

er that the whole factory is aware of what is going on. Every one is watching us, spying upon us. It required all th

ll seem to

iend; but the thought that they may be accused of being afraid touches them more keenly than anything. Moreover, listen to w

," said Georges. "I wil

nded into Pl

ed all that had taken place in his life since the night before. As for Sigismond, he was fairly beaming, for he saw

eared, Risler smiled sa

deal. It is absolutely necessary that I should see Georges and talk with him. We have paid the notes tha

, I beg you to wai

Have no fear-let him have no fear. You know what I told you, that the honor of the house of Fromont is to be assured b

orthy of all admiration, my

poor Sigismond, who, not daring to speak to his frien

man endurance has its limits. It may be that i

zed into her eyes with gr

tence for me at this moment. You see in me simply a business man who wishes to have an understanding with his partner for the good of the firm. So let him come down without th

said Claire; and she wen

dred times over to be looking into the barrel of that man's pistol at twenty paces, awaiting his fire, instead of appearing before

k at him, and continued to

have followed the example of their employers to some extent. Indeed, they have become extremely negligent and indifferent. This morning, for the first time in a year, they began work at the proper time. I expect that you will make it your business to change all that. As for me, I shall work at my drawings again. Our patterns are old

s voice that Claire shuddered, fearing an out

es, cut down our expenses, save in every way that we can. We have five draughtsmen now; hereafter we will have but two. I will undertake to make the absence of the others of no cons

a gesture from his wife restra

on it. We will remain in that relation to each other until the house is out of difficulty and I can- But what I shall do then concerns me alone. This is what I wanted to say to you, Georges. You must gi

d the sound of wheels in the garden, and tw

moment. Those are the vans from the public auction rooms

sell your furniture to

piece. I am simply givi

ongs t

le," said Georges. "I

ed upon him

hat is it that

him with an imp

om the room to escape the sudden temptation

enacted, and which are left in suspense, as it were, between the events that have happened and those that are still to happen. The open doors, the rugs lying in heaps in the corners, the salvers laden with glasses, the preparations fo

ene of desolation, the chairs overturned, as if in fear, reminded one of the saloon of a wrecked packet-boat, of one of those ghostly nights of w

e in a stranger's house. That magnificence which had once made him so happy and proud inspired in him no

icial flowers. The wax candles around the mirror had burned down to the end and cracked the candlesticks; and the bed, with its lace flounces and valances, it

Her attitudes are reproduced in the cushions of her couch, and one can follow her goings and comings between the mirror and the toilette table in the pattern of the carpet. The one thing above all others in that room that recalled Sidonie was an 'etagere' covered with childish toys, petty, trivial knickknacks, microscopic fans, dolls' tea-sets, gilded shoes, little shepherds and shepherdesses f

-movers, when he heard an interloping, authoritative step behind him, and Monsieur Chebe appeared, little Monsieur Chebe

at is this I hear? Ah! s

Monsieur Chebe-I

gave a leap lik

out? What are y

aid Risler in a hollow voice

nything. Only I must remind you of your dignity. People wash their dirty linen in private, deuce take it! They don't make spectacles of themselves as you

shonor was public, the repa

onsieur Chebe. He suddenly changed his tactics, and adopted, in addressing his s

rength as a man, with all my authority as a father. Do you suppose I am going to let you drive my child into th

t was that when his child was once in the gutter he ran great risk of not having a feather bed to sleep on himself. He was superb in that attitude of an indignant fa

g I have been making superhuman efforts to restrain myself, but it would take very little now to make my anger bur

was fully convinced. He even stammered an apology. Certainly Risler had good reason for acting as he had. All honorable people would be on his

ond it, for my position here is not what it

-exactly like that of the Duc d'Orleans, you know-was not a fable of his own invention; but he dared not make the slightest observation. Surely some one

ssion at the foot of the stairs, and walked ac

through them for the last time, then took the key and w

said, "it will be so much adde

u, my f

, I repeat, I am nothing but a clerk from this time on. A useful clerk, by the way, f

talk in that strain that he left his seat precipitately. He was suffocated by his sobs. Clai

nk you in my f

re Achille appear

pened them tranquilly one by one,

yon. Why wasn't it ans

e brought to them a keen intelligence, due to the consta

atch, he discovered one smaller one, carefully sealed, and hidden so cunningly between the others that at first he did not notice it. He recognized instantly tha

What was she writing to him? What lie had she invented now? He was about to open the letter; then he paused. He realized that,

friend, will you

stically. He was so delighted to hear his friend

h to read now. I am sure it would interfere with my think

package carefully tied, and han

here is concluded, and concluded satisfactorily,-I need all my intelligence, you understand. You will pay the Chebes' allowance. If she herself should a

s. Risler returned at once to his correspondence; but all the time he had before his eyes the slende