"And of more difficulty. The Madame often dabbles herself in these dealings involving money, and she is harder to deceive. However she is not accurate at figures, clever though she be otherwise. Look over this; this calculation. See, there is a simple transposition of an item, which results in a difference of near ten thousand livres. It appears there to have been made by the money lender for his greater gain. You can study this copy before the Duke comes. Then you will be quite prepared to point out this error and make the correction. Here is his copy which he will sign."
"Ah, good," she said looking over the memorandum he had given her of the amounts, with the correct calculations all neatly carried out.
"Well, that is enough for this morning; you may go; these things weary me."
"Celeste, Celeste, how long is this to continue? will you never—"
"Madame," she corrected positively, rumpling and smoothing out again the paper in her lap.
"As you will," with an air of hopeless protest. "Do you mean always to send me away when our business is completed—?"
"Was it not our agreement?"
"Yes, but I thought—"
"You had no right to think."
"A man must needs think whether he will or no, what is of life itself. Are you a woman of ice? Do you not realize I sell all I hold most dear, the confidence born of a life-time's honest service to my King, my own honor, only to serve you, to be with you?"