“Madame went out at a quarter to three, and I think I saw her come in about half an hour ago.”
“That is true, upon your honor?”
“Yes, monsieur.”
“You will have the money; but if you speak of this, remember, you will lose all.”
Jules returned to his wife.
“Clemence,” he said, “I find I must put my accounts in order. Do not be offended at the inquiry I am going to make. Have I not given you forty thousand francs since the beginning of the year?”
“More,” she said,—“forty-seven.”
“Have you spent them?”
“Nearly,” she replied. “In the first place, I had to pay several of our last year’s bills—”
“I shall never find out anything in this way,” thought Jules. “I am not taking the best course.”