and I shall never forgive him for having married me; but he has saved my father’s honor, and I owe it to him to keep his honor unimpaired.  He is my husband, besides, and the father of my child:  I bear his name, and I want it to be respected.  I should die with grief and shame and rage, if I had to give my arm to a man at whom people might look and smile.  Wives are absurdly stupid when they do not feel that all the scorn with which their unfortunate husbands are received in the great world falls back upon them.  No.  I do not love the count, Jacques, and I love you.  But remember, that, between him and you, I should not hesitate a moment, and that I should sacrifice your life and your honor, with a smile on my lips, even though my heart should break, if I could, by doing so, spare him the shadow of a suspicion.’

“I was about to reply; but she said,—­

“’No more!  Every minute we stay here increases the danger.  What pretext will you plead for your sudden appearance at Boiscoran?’

“‘I do no know,’ I replied.

“’You must borrow some money from your uncle, a considerable sum, to pay your debts.  He will be angry, perhaps; but that will explain your sudden fancy for travelling in the month of November.  Good-by, good-by!’

“All amazed, I cried,—­

“‘What!  You will not let me see you again, at least from afar?’

“’During this visit that would be the height of imprudence.  But, stop!  Stay at Boiscoran till Sunday.  Your uncle never stays away from high mass:  go with him to church.  But be careful, control yourself.  A single imprudence, one blunder, and I should despise you.  Now we must part.  You will find in Paris a letter from me.’”

Jacques paused here, looking to read in M. Magloire’s face what impression his recital had produced so far.  But the famous lawyer remained impassive.  He sighed, and continued,—­

“I have entered into all these details, Magloire, because I want you to know what kind of a woman the countess is, so that you may understand her conduct.  You see that she did not treat me like a traitor:  she had given me fair warning, and shown me the abyss into which I was going to fall.  Alas! so far from being terrified, these dark sides of her character only attracted me the more.  I admired her imperious air, her courage, and her prudence, even her total lack of principle, which contrasted so strangely with her fear of public opinion.  I said to myself with foolish pride,—­

“‘She certainly is a superior woman!’

“She must have been pleased with my obedience at church; for I managed to check even a slight trembling which seized me when I saw her and bowed to her as she passed so close to me that my hand touched her dress.  I obeyed her in other ways also.  I asked my uncle for six thousand francs, and he gave them to me, laughing; for he was the most generous man on earth:  but he said at the same time,—­