“Affrays, my beloved, eternally-adored mistress, will you forgive me?  The money that I was keeping for you, my darling, the proofs which will crush your husband—­they have taken every thing from me, basely, by force.  And it is my daughter—­”

He had stopped there.  Surprised at his immobility, Mme. Favoral called,

“Vincent!”

He made no answer.  She pushed him with her finger.  He rolled to the ground.  He was dead.

Three months later the great Mutual Credit suit was tried before the Sixth Court.  The scandal was great; but public curiosity was strangely disappointed.  As in most of these financial affairs, justice, whilst exposing the most audacious frauds, was not able to unravel the true secret.

She managed, at least, to lay hands upon every thing that the Baron de Thaller had hoped to save.  That worthy was condemned to five years’ prison; M. Costeclar got off with three years; and M. Jottras with two.  M. Saint Pavin was acquitted.

Arrested for subornation of murder, the former Marquise de Javelle the Baroness de Thaller, was released for want of proper proof.  But, implicated in the suit against her husband, she lost three-fourths of her fortune, and is now living with her daughter, whose debut is announced at the Bouffes-Parisiens, or at the Delassements-Comiques.

Already, before that time, Mlle. Lucienne, completely restored, had married Maxence Favoral.

Of the five hundred thousand francs which were returned to her, she applied three hundred thousand to discharge the debts of her father-in-law, and with the rest she induced her husband to emigrate to America.  Paris had become odious to both.

Marius and Mlle. Gilberte, who has now become Marquise de Tregars, have taken up their residence at the Chateau de Tregars, three leagues from Quimper.  They have been followed in their retreat by Mme. Favoral and by General Count de Villegre.

The greater portion of his father’s fortune, Marius had applied to pay off all the personal creditors of the former cashier of the Mutual Credit, all the trades-people, and also M. Chapelain, old man Desormeaux, and M. and Mme. Desclavettes.

All that is left to the Marquis and Marquise de Tregars is some twenty thousand francs a year, and if they ever lose them, it will not be at the bourse.

The Mutual Credit is quoted at 467.25!