"And now I am sure of it! You told her of your sentiments, and I see your air of triumph. At the same time you are rubbing your hands because you have shown me the door! You will go and tell your dear mother this, of course! You will say to her: 'The rich man gobbled the bait! He thought that by tossing us a crust of bread and taking a young wife, he would make sport of us and disinherit us! Well, he has succeeded simply in covering himself with shame. He will grow old alone, he will die unmarried, and we shall be rich in spite of him.'"
"You are mistaken, monsieur," rejoined Julien with perfect self-possession. "I formed no such contemptible schemes, and I shall never do anything of the kind. You may marry to-morrow, if you choose, and whom you choose, and I shall be overjoyed, provided always that my mother's dignity and mine are not at stake in your undertaking. This is what I desired to say to Madame d'Estrelle, and what I say to you. And now I have only to remember that you are my uncle, and humbly to present you my respects."
Julien was about to go away after bowing low to Monsieur Antoine. But he recalled him in an imperious tone.
"What about my lily? Who will pay me for it?"
"Put a price on it, monsieur."
"Five hundred thousand francs."
"Are you speaking seriously?"
"Am I speaking seriously?"
"I must believe you, knowing that you are incapable of deceiving a person who relies upon you."
"Flattery! fawning!"