It was a good idea; and the plotters spent several hours in studying its strong and weak points.
Raoul feared that he would never be able to overcome Mme. Fauvel’s resistance. And, even if she yielded the key, would she not go directly and confess everything to her husband? She was fond of Prosper, and would hesitate a long time before sacrificing him.
But Louis felt no uneasiness on this score.
“One sacrifice necessitates another,” he said: “she has made too many to draw back at the last one. She sacrificed her adopted daughter; therefore she will sacrifice a young man, who is, after all, a comparative stranger to her.”
“But madame will never believe any harm of Prosper; she will always have faith in his honor; therefore—”
“You talk like an idiot, my verdant nephew!”
Before the conversation had ended, the plan seemed feasible. The scoundrels made all their arrangements, and fixed the day for committing the crime.
They selected the evening of the 7th of February, because Raoul knew that M. Fauvel would be at a bank-director’s dinner, and Madeleine was invited to a party on that evening.
Unless something unforeseen should occur, Raoul knew that he would find Mme. Fauvel alone at half-past eight o’clock.
“I will ask M. Fauvel this very day,” said Clameran, “to have my money on hand for Tuesday.”