So, what I required was the Professor’s consent! Certainly there could be no question of any consent except of one sort; only one wrested from him by constant intimidation would serve the purpose.
I would make play with Macbeth’s murder, and Klotz’s assassination, and my terrified uncle would speak to Emma as I wanted him to, and I should carry her off, no doubt depriving Mr. Nicolas Vermont of an inheritance (very much eaten into), and Mlle. Bourdichet of (probably quite chimerical) splendors.
My plan was soon arranged in detail.
CHAPTER XIV
DEATH AND THE MASK
But this plan was never carried out. Not that I hesitated to put it into action—I was always determined upon it, and any doubt that came to me about the existence of the danger to be avoided, arose only when all chance of realizing my projects had passed.
As long as they were still possible, on the contrary, I awaited with patience the opportunity of accomplishing them, and I will even admit that my growing terror ceaselessly urged me to have done with it all.
Everywhere danger showed itself to my hallucinated eyes, and all the more perfidiously that there was often nothing to be afraid of.
It was easy to see that it was time for me to leave Fonval and I longed with all my strength to go, but I had resolved to choose the moment when Lerne should listen to my proposal sympathetically, so that thus I might only use my threat as a last resource.