Expecting news from Suzanne, and fearing with good reason his servant's inquisitiveness, he had indeed asked him for the future to deliver his letters to himself only.
He sought for various pretexts to send Veronica away, but the woman too discovered excellent reasons for not going out.
She was present therefore, in spite of her master, at the delivery of the mysterious letter.
Marcel's countenance at first displayed deep disappointment, but as he read on, it was lighted up by a ray of joy.
XLVII.
GOOD NEWS.
"Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
O filii et filiae…
Et Maria Magdalena
Et Jacobi, et Salome!
Alleluia."
(Easter-Mass Hymn).
"Rejoice, my son, and sing with me Hosannah! Hosannah! The ways of the
Lord are infinite.
"Your personal enemy, Saint Anastasius Gobin, Grand-Vicar, Arch-Priest, Notary Apostolic and, like the ancient slave, as vile as anyone, non tum vilis quam nullus, has just left Nancy secretly, and in disgrace, like a guilty wretch as he is.