"Because—I didn't know—— Look you, Nathalie—I will not lie to you—to-day I met Lucien, and I learned from him that you had a brother-in-law who smoked——"
"And then you understood that I had no other intrigue. Bad boy! if you hadn't left me so abruptly, I would have told you the whole story; but when jealousy takes possession of you, it is impossible to make you listen to reason."
"Hereafter, my confidence in you will be absolute. You love me—you forgive me once more, do you not?"
"Yes, but this is the last time; for such scenes are too painful to me."
At that moment they heard the servant laughing uproariously. Nathalie rang for her and asked her the reason of that outburst of merriment.
"Oh! madame, hasn't monsieur told you what he did to your scamp of a brother-in-law? The concierge just told me. Monsieur took him by the throat and turned him out of the house, and promised to cut him in pieces if he ever dared to come to see you again!"
"Is this true, Adhémar?"
"Yes; did I do wrong?"
"Oh! far from it; you have done me a very great service. It seems that I am destined to be saved by you from all sorts of dangers! You see, monsieur, that you did wrong to desert me!"
Adhémar's only reply was to cover with kisses the hand she abandoned to him; and the maid returned exultantly to the kitchen, crying: