“You see,” said the young advocate, “there is no use in trying to get outside of our circle of defence. Any new effort would be useless.”
“No!” replied Jacques. “No, I shall not stop there!”
And after a few moments’ reflection,—if he can be said to have been able to reflect,—he said,—
“I hope you will pardon me, my dear sir, for having exposed you to such insults. I ought to have foreseen it, or, rather, I did foresee it. I knew that was not the way to begin the battle. But I was a coward, I was afraid, I drew back, fool that I was! As if I had not known that we shall at any rate have to come to the last extremity! Well, I am ready now, and I shall do it!”
“What do you mean to do?”
“I shall go and see the Countess Claudieuse. I shall tell her”—
“Oh!”
“You do not think she will deny it to my face? When I once have her under my eye, I shall make her confess the crime of which I am accused.”
M. Folgat had promised Dr. Seignebos not to mention what Martha and her governess had said; but he felt no longer bound to conceal it.
“And if the countess should not be guilty?” he asked.