"Was it so difficult for you to accept, M. de Tregars' offers?"
"It was you who made me refuse."
"Was it me, too, who was so anxious to get rid of Lucienne?"
For years, Mlle. Cesarine had not seemed so amused; and, in a half whisper, she was humming the famous tune, from "The Pearl of Poutoise,"
"Happy accord! Happy couple!"
M. de Thaller, beside himself, was advancing to seize the baroness: she was drawing back, knowing him, perhaps to be capable of any thing, when suddenly there was a violent knocking at the door.
"In the name of the law!"
It was a commissary of police.
And, whilst surrounded by agents, they were taken to a cab.
"Orphan on both sides!" exclaimed Mlle. Cesarine, "I am free, then.
Now we'll have some fun!"
At that very moment, M. de Tregars and Mlle. Gilberte reached the Rue St. Giles.
Hearing that her husband had been found, "I must see him!" exclaimed Mme. Favoral.
And, in spite of any thing they could tell her, she threw a shawl over her shoulders, and started with Mlle. Gilberte.
When they had entered Mme. Zelie's apartment, of which they had a key, they found in the parlor, with his back towards them, Vincent Favoral sitting at the table, leaning forward, and apparently writing. Mme. Favoral approached on tiptoe, and over her husband's shoulder she read what he had just written, "Affrays, my beloved, eternally-adored mistress, will you forgive me? The money that I was keeping for you, my darling, the proofs which will crush your husband - they have taken every thing from me, basely, by force. And it is my daughter - "
He had stopped there. Surprised at his immobility, Mme. Favoral called, "Vincent!"
He made no answer. She pushed him with her finger. He rolled to the ground. He was dead.
Three months later the great Mutual Credit suit was tried before the Sixth Court. The scandal was great; but public curiosity was strangely disappointed. As in most of these financial affairs, justice, whilst exposing the most audacious frauds, was not able to unravel the true secret.
She managed, at least, to lay hands upon every thing that the Baron de Thaller had hoped to save. That worthy was condemned to five years' prison; M. Costeclar got off with three years; and M.
Jottras with two. M. Saint Pavin was acquitted.
Arrested for subornation of murder, the former Marquise de Javelle the Baroness de Thaller, was released for want of proper proof. But, implicated in the suit against her husband, she lost three-fourths of her fortune, and is now living with her daughter, whose debut is announced at the Bouffes-Parisiens, or at the Delassements-Comiques.
Already, before that time, Mlle. Lucienne, completely restored, had married Maxence Favoral.
Of the five hundred thousand francs which were returned to her, she applied three hundred thousand to discharge the debts of her father-in-law, and with the rest she induced her husband to emigrate to America. Paris had become odious to both.
Marius and Mlle. Gilberte, who has now become Marquise de Tregars, have taken up their residence at the Chateau de Tregars, three leagues from Quimper. They have been followed in their retreat by Mme. Favoral and by General Count de Vil1egre.
The greater portion of his father's fortune, Marius had applied to pay off all the personal creditors of the former cashier of the Mutual Credit, all the trades-people, and also M. Chapelain, old man Desormeaux, and M. and Mme. Desclavettes.
All that is left to the Marquis and Marquise de Tregars is some twenty thousand francs a year, and if they ever lose them, it will not be at the bourse.
The Mutual Credit is quoted at 467.25!