"Hush, Gerald," whispered Olivier, "the notary is rising. He is about to read your contract."
"It is a mere form," said Gerald. "The contract is of very little consequence; the real conditions Herminie and I long since settled between ourselves."
The excitement created by M. de la Rochaiguë's interruption having subsided, the notary began to read Herminie's and Gerald's marriage contract; but when, after the customary preliminaries, the notary came to the names and occupations of the parties, M. de Maillefort remarked to him, smiling:
"Skip all that, monsieur, if you please; we know the names. Let us get to the important point, the settlement of pecuniary interests between the parties."
"Very well, M. le marquis," replied the notary.
So he continued:
"'It is agreed by this contract that any property which either of the aforesaid parties now possesses, or may possess at any future time, belongs, and shall belong absolutely to that party, entirely independent of the other contracting party.'"
"It was you, my dear child," the marquis said to Herminie, interrupting the notary, "who, when I explained to you, yesterday, the various methods of settling questions of pecuniary interest between husband and wife, insisted, from motives of delicacy, that each party should hold his or her property absolutely independent of the other, for possessing nothing yourself except the talent by which you have so honourably maintained yourself up to the present time, you refused absolutely the community of interests and property which M. de Senneterre is so anxious to have you accept."
Herminie's eyes drooped, and she blushed deeply, as she replied:
"I am almost certain that M. de Senneterre will excuse and understand my refusal, monsieur."