"That is not my appraisal, madame la marquise; you pluck your victim too close, and you compel me to remind you of our little agreements."
"Go on, monsieur, overbid me!" replied the dowager. "I am unable to contend against you who have millions. I throw the whole thing over and give up my place to you."
"Wait, wait!" replied Antoine, "we can still agree with a word, madame! I can act here in a way to satisfy everybody. It depends on you!"
"Never!" cried the marchioness indignantly; "you are a lunatic and I am ashamed to have accepted your services!"
She went out, forgetting her notary, and Antoine stood abashed, with contracted brows, buried in mysterious meditation, and with eyes fixed on the door.
"They had agreed to act against me," Julie whispered to Marcel; "now what are they going to do?"
"Be patient," Marcel replied; "I think that I can guess."
He had no time to explain himself. Monsieur Antoine emerged from his reverie and said, addressing the notary:
"Well, how far have we gone, and what is our decision?"
"For my own part, monsieur," replied the notary, putting his papers together and looking for his spectacles, "what took place between the marchioness and yourself is a mystery. My client apparently abandoned the object she was pursuing, and I shall await further orders from her before taking part in this affair."