At this I could no longer restrain myself, but exclaimed: "Oh, indeed! Do you imagine I shall let you dispose of her like that,

without defending her?"

"No, of course, I know all this.--And that's the very point upon which I

consulted a counsel; but, according to what he has advised me, I should

like to ask what authority you can claim over my daughter? What rights

can you set up against mine?"

"Well, I should like to remind you also that I can ruin your comfortable

expectations by killing Count Kiusko," I said, quite beside myself with

rage.

"If so it is written!" she rejoined in a calm voice.

Exasperated by her fatalistic imperturbability, I felt moved by some

furious and violent impulse. I got up from my chair to calm myself. I

could see that for two months past I had been duped by this woman, who

had been pursuing with avidity a vision of unexpected fortune, and that

nothing could now divert her from this pursuit. I felt myself caught in

their abominable toils.

Sitting motionless on her divan, with her hands folded over her knees,

she regarded me in silence.

"Well!" I said, coming close to her again, "I can see that your maternal

solicitude is all a question of money. For what sum will you sell me

your daughter a second time, and go back to live by yourself in the

East?"

She hesitated a moment, and then she said: "I will tell you in a week's time."

By her deceitful looks I judged that she still placed some hope in

Kiusko, and that she probably wished to wait until she could make sure

about it, one way or the other--but from motives of discretion I held my

tongue, and took leave of her.




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