"She has not yet quite finished the business with which you entrusted her. Perhaps I am partly the cause of this long absence, but one cannot transact business as quickly as one would wish. But, you have no doubt heard from her, that all is finished, or nearly so, between us. We have drawn up a second private contract, which annuls the former agreement, and I have paid over a sum of one hundred thousand livres."
"I do not comprehend," said Monsieur de Lamotte. "What can induce my wife not to inform me of this?"
"You did not know?"
"I know nothing. I was wondering just now with Monsieur le cure why I did not hear from her."
"Madame de Lamotte was going to write to you, and I do not know what can have hindered her."
"When did you leave her?"
"Several days ago. I have not been at Paris; I am returning from Chartres. I believed you were informed of everything."
Monsieur de Lamotte remained silent for some moments. Then, fixing his eyes upon Derues' immovable countenance, he said, with some emotion—
"You are a husband and father, sir; in the name of this double and sacred affection which is, not unknown to you, do not hide anything from me: I fear some misfortune has happened to my wife which you are concealing."
Derues' physiognomy expressed nothing but a perfectly natural astonishment.