Jacques answering in the affirmative, Gaston offered him a good round sum (accompanied by plenty of specious reasoning) for a very little service.  Would he set aside for the Marquise the game that the Count would bring?  It seemed to Jacques to be a matter of no great importance whether the partridge on which his mistress dined had been shot by her keeper or by M. de Nueil, especially since the latter particularly wished that the Marquise should know nothing about it.

“It was killed on her land,” said the Count, and for some days Jacques lent himself to the harmless deceit.  Day after day M. de Nueil went shooting, and came back at dinner-time with an empty bag.  A whole week went by in this way.  Gaston grew bold enough to write a long letter to the Marquise, and had it conveyed to her.  It was returned to him unopened.  The Marquise’s servant brought it back about nightfall.  The Count, sitting in the drawing-room listening, while his wife at the piano mangled a Caprice of Herold’s, suddenly sprang up and rushed out to the Marquise, as if he were flying to an assignation.  He dashed through a well-known gap into the park, and went slowly along the avenues, stopping now and again for a little to still the loud beating of his heart.  Smothered sounds as he came nearer the chateau told him that the servants must be at supper, and he went straight to Mme. de Beauseant’s room.

Mme. de Beauseant never left her bedroom.  M. de Nueil could gain the doorway without making the slightest sound.  There, by the light of two wax candles, he saw the thin, white Marquise in a great armchair; her head was bowed, her hands hung listlessly, her eyes gazing fixedly at some object which she did not seem to see.  Her whole attitude spoke of hopeless pain.  There was a vague something like hope in her bearing, but it was impossible to say whither Claire de Bourgogne was looking —­forwards to the tomb or backwards into the past.  Perhaps M. de Nueil’s tears glittered in the deep shadows; perhaps his breathing sounded faintly; perhaps unconsciously he trembled, or again it may have been impossible that he should stand there, his presence unfelt by that quick sense which grows to be an instinct, the glory, the delight, the proof of perfect love.  However it was, Mme. de Beauseant slowly turned her face towards the doorway, and beheld her lover of bygone days.  Then Gaston de Nueil came forward a few paces.

“If you come any further, sir,” exclaimed the Marquise, growing paler, “I shall fling myself out of the window!”

She sprang to the window, flung it open, and stood with one foot on the ledge, her hand upon the iron balustrade, her face turned towards Gaston.

“Go out! go out!” she cried, “or I will throw myself over.”

At that dreadful cry the servants began to stir, and M. de Nueil fled like a criminal.