"Who could have said such a thing? What is old Noirtier doing?"
"He has gone to the South; and the Morcerf family—"
"Well, what of them?"
"Nothing new. The father a suicide, the son in Africa, and the mother has disappeared."
"Just like Baroness Danglars."
"Yes, only with this difference, that Madame de Morcerf and her son gave their whole fortune to the poor."
"I am glad for the poor—I—"
"The Benedetto affair is now on," broke in the voice of the reporter, interrupting their conversation.
"Ah—thank you." And with this they all entered the court-room.