“What?”

“You would go to Paris with me, and both of us—­”

Hector turned very pale, and his eyes shone.

“Never!” he interrupted, violently, “never!”

His “dear friends” still terrified him.  What!  Reappear on the theatre of his glory, now that he was fallen, ruined, ridiculous by his unsuccessful suicide?  Sauvresy had held out his arms to him.  Sauvresy was a noble fellow, and loved Hector sufficiently not to perceive the falseness of his position, and not to judge him a coward because he shrank from suicide.  But the others!—­

“Don’t talk to me about Paris,” said he in a calmer tone.  “I shall never set my foot in it again.”

“All right—­so much the better; stay with us; I sha’n’t complain of it, nor my wife either.  Some fine day we’ll find you a pretty heiress in the neighborhood.  But,” added Sauvresy, consulting his watch, “I must go if I don’t want to lose the train.”

“I’ll go to the station with you,” said Tremorel.

This was not solely from a friendly impulse.  He wanted to ask Sauvresy to look after the articles left at the pawnbroker’s in the Rue de Condo, and to call on Jenny.  Bertha, from her window, followed with her eyes the two friends; who, with arms interlocked, ascended the road toward Orcival.  “What a difference,” thought she, “between these two men!  My husband said he wished to be his friend’s steward; truly he has the air of a steward.  What a noble gait the count has, what youthful ease, what real distinction!  And yet I’m sure that my husband despises him, because he has ruined himself by dissipation.  He affected—­I saw it—­an air of protection.  Poor youth!  But everything about the count betrays an innate or acquired superiority; even his name, Hector—­how it sounds!” And she repeated “Hector” several times, as if it pleased her, adding, contemptuously, “My husband’s name is Clement!”

M. de Tremorel returned alone from the station, as gayly as a convalescent taking his first airing.  As soon as Bertha saw him she left the window.  She wished to remain alone, to reflect upon this event which had happened so suddenly, to analyze her sensations, listen to her presentiments, study her impressions and decide, if possible, upon her line of conduct.  She only reappeared when the tea was set for her husband, who returned at eleven in the evening.  Sauvresy was faint from hunger, thirst, and fatigue, but his face glowed with satisfaction.

“Victory!” exclaimed he, as he ate his soup.  “We’ll snatch you from the hands of the Philistines yet.  Parbleu!  The finest feathers of your plumage will remain, after all, and you will be able to save enough for a good cosey nest.”

Bertha glanced at her husband.

“How is that?” said she.

“It’s very simple.  At the very first, I guessed the game of our friend’s creditors.  They reckoned on getting a sale of his effects; would have bought them in a lump dirt cheap, as it always happens, and then sold them in detail, dividing the profits of the operation.”