He told the truth about everything except the amount of his brother’s fortune, the importance of which he lessened as much as possible.
“Well,” said Raoul, when the report was ended, “we are in a nice fix. And do you expect to get out of it?”
“Yes, if you don’t betray me.”
“I wish you to understand, marquis, that I have never betrayed anyone yet; don’t judge me by yourself, I beg. What steps will you take to get free of this entanglement?”
“I don’t know; but something will turn up. Oh, don’t be alarmed; I’ll find some means of escape: so you can return home with your mind at rest. You run no risk in Paris, and ‘tis the best place for you. I will stay here to watch Gaston.”
Raoul reflected for some moments, and then said:
“Are you sure I am not in danger at Paris?”
“What are you afraid of? We have Mme. Fauvel so completely in our power that she would not dare speak a word against you; even if she knew the whole truth, what no one but you and I know, she would not open her lips, but be only too glad to hush up matters so as to escape punishment for her fault from her deceived husband and a censuring world.”
“I know we have a secure hold on her,” said Raoul. “I am not afraid of her giving any trouble.”
“Who, then?”