“Such is my absolute conviction.”
“And that you would like to deliver up to justice the villains who have benefitted by your father’s crime, and who think themselves sure of impunity?”
Tears of anger fell from Maxence’s eyes.
“Do you wish to take away all my courage?” he murmured.
“No; but I wish to demonstrate to you the necessity of the step which I advise you to take. The end justifies the means; and we have not the choice of means. Come, ‘tis to an honest man and a tried friend that I shall take you. Fear nothing. If he remembers that he is commissary of police, it will be to serve us, not to injure you. You hesitate? Perhaps at this moment he already knows more than we do ourselves.”
Maxence took a sudden resolution.
“Very well,” he said: “let us go.”
In less than five minutes they were off; and, as they went out, they had to disturb Mme. Fortin, who stood at the door, gossiping with two or three of the neighboring shop-keepers.
As soon as Maxence and Mlle. Lucienne were out of hearing,
“You see that young man,” said the honorable proprietress of the Hotel des Folies to her interlocutors. “Well, he is the son of that famous cashier who has just run off with twelve millions, after ruining a thousand families. It don’t seem to trouble him, either; for there he is, going out to spend a pleasant day with his mistress, and to treat her to a fine dinner with the old man’s money.”