"Pray go on."
"Is he the son of General Renaud, who was killed in the last war of the Empire?"
"Yes. Do you know him?"
"He is M. de Luceval's cousin."
"Michel, M. de Luceval's cousin?"
"And hardly a day passes that my husband does not speak of him."
"Of Michel?"
"Yes, but I have never seen him. Possibly he took offence on account of M. de Luceval's marriage, like nearly all the members of the family, for he has never called to see us. That doesn't surprise me much, however, for my husband has never been on particularly friendly terms with any of his relatives."
"What you say amazes me! Michel, your husband's cousin? But how does M. de Luceval happen to speak of Michel so often?"
"Alas! my poor Valentine, it is on account of a grievous fault of which M. Michel Renaud and I are both guilty, it seems,—a fault which is my chief happiness, and, to speak plainly, my husband's greatest safeguard; but men are so blind!"