Frederick was moving about restlessly, in a state of great agitation.
"What's the matter?"
Sénécal told his story.
"On Saturday, at nine o'clock, Madame Arnoux got a letter which summoned her back to Paris. As there happened to be nobody in the place at the time to go to Creil for a vehicle, she asked me to go there myself. I refused, for this was no part of my duties. She left, and came back on Sunday evening. Yesterday morning, Arnoux came down to the works. The girl from Bordeaux made a complaint to him. I don't know what passed between them; but he took off before everyone the fine I had imposed on her. Some sharp words passed between us. In short, he closed accounts with me, and here I am!"
Then, with a pause between every word:
"Furthermore, I am not sorry. I have done my duty. No matter—you were the cause of it."
"How?" exclaimed Frederick, alarmed lest Sénécal might have guessed his secret.
Sénécal had not, however, guessed anything about it, for he replied:
"That is to say, but for you I might have done better."
Frederick was seized with a kind of remorse.