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was　the　cause　of　his　absence。　　She　had　not　believed　these　insinuations；　although　his　long　silence　would　have　justified　the　most　mortifying　suppositions；　the　most　cruel　doubts。　　At　length　the　chevalier　had　grown　bolder；　and　had　declared　his　passion　for　her；　whereupon　she　had　risen　and　ordered　him　to　leave　her。　　Just　at　that　moment　the　duke　had　entered；　and　had　taken　the　natural　agitation　and　confusion　of　the　chevalier　as　signs　of　her　guilt。　　Some　explanation　was　also　necessary　to　account　for　the　presence　of　the　two　other　visitors　of　whom　he　had　been　told　below　stairs。　　As　he　knew　nothing　at　all　about　them；　the　servant　who　admitted　them　never　having　seen　either　of　them　before；　she　acknowledged　that　two　gentlemen　had　called　earlier　in　the　evening；　that　they　had　refused　to　send　in　their　names；　but　as　they　had　said　they　had　come　to　inquire　about　the　duke；　she　suspected　them　of　having　been　in　league　with　the　chevalier　in　the　attempt　to　ruin　her　reputation；　perhaps　they　had　even　promised　to　help　him　to　carry　her　off；　but　she　knew　nothing　positive　about　them　or　their　plans。　The　duke；　contrary　to　his　wont；　did　not　allow　himself　to　be　easily　convinced　by　these　lame　explanations；　but　unfortunately　for　him　the　lady　knew　how　to　assume　an　attitude　favourable　to　her　purpose。　　She　had　been　induced；　she　said；　with　the　simple　confidence　born　of　love；　to　listen　to　people　who　had　led　her　to　suppose　they　could　give　her　news　of　one　so　dear　to　her　as　the　duke。　　From　this　falsehood　she　proceeded　to　bitter　reproaches：　instead　of　defending　herself；　she　accused　him　of　having　left　her　a　prey　to　anxiety；　she　went　so　far　as　to　imply　that　there　must　be　some　foundation　for　the　hints　of　the　chevalier；　until　at　last　the　duke；　although　he　was　not　guilty　of　the　slightest　infidelity；　and　had　excellent　reasons　to　give　in　justification　of　his　silence；　was　soon　reduced　to　a　penitent　mood；　and　changed　his　threats　into　entreaties　for　forgiveness。　　As　to　the　shriek　he　had　heard；　and　which　he　was　sure　had　been　uttered　by　the　stranger　who　had　forced　his　way　into　her　room　after　the　departure　of　the　others；　she　asserted　that　his　ears　must　have　deceived　him。　Feeling　that　therein　lay　her　best　chance　of　making　things　smooth；　she　exerted　herself　to　convince　him　that　there　was　no　need　for　other　information　than　she　could　give；　and　did　all　she　could　to　blot　the　whole　affair　from　his　memory；　and　her　success　was　such　that　at　the　end　of　the　interview　the　duke　was　more　enamoured　and　more　credulous　than　ever；　and　believing　he　had　done　her　wrong；　he　delivered　himself　up　to　her；　bound　hand　and　foot。　　Two　days　later　he　installed　his　mistress　in　another　dwelling。。。。

Madame　Rapally　also　resolved　to　give　up　her　rooms；　and　removed　to　a　house　that　belonged　to　her；　on　the　Pont　Saint…Michel。

The　commander　took　the　condition　of　Charlotte　Boullenois　very　much　to　heart。　　The　physician　under　whose　care　he　had　placed　her；　after　examining　　her　wounds；　had　not　given　much　hope　of　her　recovery。　　It　was　not　that　de　Jars　was　capable　of　a　lasting　love；　but　Charlotte　was　young　and　possessed　great　beauty；　and　the　　romance　and　mystery　surrounding　their　connection　gave　it　piquancy。　　Charlotte's　disguise；　too；　which　enabled　de　Jars　to　conceal　his　success　and　yet　flaunt　it　in　the　face；　as　it　were；　of　public　morality　and　curiosity；　charmed　him　by　its　audacity；　and　above　all　he　was　carried　away　by　the　bold　and　uncommon　character　of　the　girl；　who；　not　content　with　　a　prosaic　intrigue；　had　trampled　underfoot　all　social　prejudices　and　proprieties；　and　plunged　at　once　　into　unmeasured　and　unrestrained　dissipation；　the　singular　mingling　in　her　nature　of　the　vices　of　both　sexes；　the　unbridled　licentiousness　of　the　courtesan　coupled　with　the　devotion　of　a　man　for　horses；　wine；　and　fencing；　in　short；　her　eccentric　character；　as　it　would　now　be　called；　kept　a　passion　alive　which　would　else　have　quickly　died　away　in　　his　blase　heart。　　Nothing　would　induce　him　to　follow　Jeannin's　advice　to　leave　Paris　for　at　least　a　few　weeks；　although　he　shared　Jeannin's　fear　that　the　statement　they　had　been　forced　to　give　the　stranger　would　bring　them　into　trouble。　　The　treasurer；　who　had　no　love　affair　on　hand；　went　off；　but　the　commander　bravely　held　his　ground；　and　at　the　end　of　five　or　six　days；　during　which　no　one　disturbed　him；　began　to　think　the　only　result　of　the　incident　would　be　the　anxiety　it　had　caused　him。

Every　evening　as　soon　as　it　was　dark　he　betook　himself　to　the　doctor's；　wrapped　in　his　cloak；　armed　to　the　teeth；　and　his　hat　pulled　down　over　his　eyes。　　For　two　days　and　nights；　Charlotte；　whom　to　avoid　confusion　we　shall　continue　to　call　the　Chevalier　de　Moranges；　hovered　between　life　and　death。　　Her　youth　and　the　strength　of　her　constitution　enabled　her　at　last　to　overcome　the　fever；　in　spite　of　the　want　of　skill　of　the　surgeon　Perregaud。

Although　de　Jars　was　the　only　person　who　visited　the　chevalier；　he　was　not　the　only　one　who　was　anxious　about　the　patient's　health。　Maitre　Quennebert；　or　men　engaged　by　him　to　watch；　for　he　did　not　want　to　attract　attention；　were　always　prowling　about　the　neighbourhood；　so　that　he　was　kept　well　informed　of　everything　that　went　on：　The　instructions　he　gave　to　these　agents　were；　that　if　a　funeral　should　leave　the　house；　they　were　to　find　out　the　name　of　the　deceased；　and　then　to　let　him　know　without　delay。　　But　all　these　precautions　seemed　quite　useless：　he　always　received　the　same　answer　to　all　his　questions；　〃We　know　nothing。〃　　So　at　last　he　determined　to　address　himself　directly　to　the　man　who　could　give　him　information　on　which　he　could　rely。

One　night　the　commander　left　the　surgeon's　feeling　more　cheerful　than　usual；　for　the　chevalier　had　passed　a　good　day；　and　there　was　every　hope　that　he　was　on　the　road　to　complete　recovery。　　Hardly　had　de　Jars　gone　twenty　paces　when　someone　laid　a　hand　on　his　shoulder。　　He　turned　and　saw　a　man　whom；　in　the　darkness；　he　did　not　recognise。

〃Excuse　me　for　detaining　you；　Commander　de　Jars；〃　said　Quennebert；　〃but　I　have　a　word　to　say　to　you。〃

〃Ali！　so　it's　you；　sir；〃　replied　the　commander。　　〃Are　you　going　at　last　to　give　me　the　opportunity　I　was　so　anxious　for？〃

〃I　don't　understand。〃

〃We　are　on　more　equal　terms　this　time；　to…day　you　don't　catch　me　unprepared；　almost　without　weapons；　and　if　you　are　a　man　of　honour　you　will　measure　swords　with　me。〃

〃Fight　a　duel　with　you！　why；　may　I　ask？　　You　have　never　insulted　me。〃

〃A　truce　to　pleasantry；　sir；　don't　make　me　regret　that　I　have　shown　myself　more　generous　than　you。　　I　might　have　killed　you　just　now　had　I　wished。　　I　could　have　put　my　pistol　to　your　breast　and　fired；　or　said　to　you；　'Surrender　at　discretion！'　as　you　so　lately　said　to　me。〃

〃And　what　use　would　that　have　been？〃

〃It　would　have　made　a　secret　safe　that　you　ought　never　to　have　known。〃

〃It　would　have　been　the　most　unfortunate　thing　for　you　that　could　have　happened；　for　if　you　had　killed　me　the　paper　would　have　spoken。　So！　　you　think　that　if　you　were　to　assassinate　me　you　would　only　have　to　stoop　over　my　dead　body　and　search　my　pockets；　and；　having　found　the　incriminating　document；　destroy　it。　　You　seem　to　have　formed　no　very　high　opinion　of　my　intelligence　and　common　sense。　　You　of　the　upper　classes　don't　need　these　qualities；　the　law　is　on；　your　side。　But　when　a　humble　individual　like　myself；　a　mere　nobody；　undertakes　to　investigate　a　piece　of　business　about　which　those　in　authority　are　not　anxious　to　be　enlightened；　precautions　are　necessary。　　It's　not　enough　for　him　to　have　right　on　his　side；　he　must；　in　order　to　secure　his　own　safety；　make　good　use　of　his　skill；　courage；　and　knowledge。　I　have　no　desire　to　humiliate　you　a　second　time；　so　I　will　say　no　more。　　The　paper　is　in　the　hands　of　my　notary；　and　if　a　single　day　passes　without　his　seeing　me　he　has　orders　to　break　the　seal　and　make　the　contents　public。　　So　you　see　chance　is　still　on　my　side。　　But　now　that　you　are　warned　there　is　no　need　for　me　to　bluster。　　I　am　quite　prepared　to　acknowledge　your　superior　rank；　and　if　you　insist　upon　it；　to　speak　to　you　uncovered。〃

〃What　do　you　desire　to　know；　sir？〃

〃How　is　the　Chevalier　de　Moranges　getting　on？〃

〃Very　badly；　very　badly。〃

〃Take　care；　commander；　don't　deceive　me。　　One　is　so　easily　tempted　to　believe