"She was my wife."
"Yes; you married her after your arrival here. The official records of the 21st arrondisement prove that—married her without her parents' consent."
"That is not so. They approved."
"How could they? Your wife's father is French vice-consul at Gibraltar. Her mother is dead. Neither was present at your marriage; how, then, could they approve?"
Gascoigne did not answer.
"On your first arrival you were well provided with funds—the proceeds, no doubt, of some nefarious scheme; a run of luck at the tables; the plunder of some pigeon—"
"The price of my commission in the English Army."
"Bah! You never were in the English Army."
"I can prove it."
"I shall not believe you. Being in funds, I say, you lived riotously, stayed at one of the best hotels, kept a landau and pair, dined at the Trois Frères and the Rocher de Cancale, frequented the theatres; madame wore the most expensive toilettes. But you presently ran short of cash."