下载辰思小说免费APP
Theabbedeparted；presentlyheturnedbacktolookatMinoret。Themanwasholdinghisheadinhishandsasifittroubledhim；hewas，infact，partlycrazy。Inthefirstplace，hehadkeptthethreecertificatesbecausehedidnotknowwhattodowiththem。Hedarednotdrawthemoneyhimselfforfearitshouldbenoticed；hedidnotwishtosellthem，andwasstilltryingtofindsomewayoftransferringthecertificates。Inthishorriblestateofuncertaintyhebethoughthimofacknowledgingalltohiswifeandgettingheradvice。Zelie，whoalwaysmanagedaffairsforhimsowell，shecouldgethimoutofhistroubles。Thethree-per-centFundswerenowsellingateighty。Restitution！why，thatmeant，witharrearages，givingupamillion！Giveupamillion，whentherewasnoonewhocouldknowthathehadtakenit！——
SoMinoretcontinuedthroughSeptemberandapartofOctoberirresoluteandapreytohistorturingthoughts。Tothegreatsurpriseofthelittletownhegrewthinandhaggard。
AnalarmingcircumstancehastenedtheconfessionwhichMinoretwasinclinedtomaketoZelie；theswordofDamoclesbegantomoveabovetheirheads。TowardsthemiddleofOctoberMonsieurandMadameMinoretreceivedfromtheirsonDesirethefollowingletter:——
MydearMother，——IfIhavenotbeentoseeyousincevacation，itispartlybecauseIhavebeenondutyduringtheabsenceofmychief，butalsobecauseIknewthatMonsieurdePortenduerewaswaitingmyarrivalatNemours，topickaquarrelwithme。Tired，perhaps，ofseeinghisvengeanceonourfamilydelayed，theviscountcametoFontainebleau，wherehehadappointedoneofhisParisianfriendstomeethim，havingalreadyobtainedthehelpoftheVicomtedeSoulangescommandingthetroopofcavalryhereingarrison。
Hecalleduponme，verypolitely，accompaniedbythetwogentlemen，andtoldmethatmyfatherwasundoubtedlytheinstigatorofthemalignantpersecutionsagainstUrsulaMirouet，hisfuturewife；hegavemeproofs，andtoldmeofGoupil’sconfessionbeforewitnesses。Healsotoldmeofmyfather’sconduct，firstinrefusingtopayGoupilthepriceagreedonforhiswickedinvention，andnext，outoffearofGoupil’smalignity，goingsecuritytoMonsieurDionisforthepriceofhispracticewhichGoupilistohave。
Theviscount，notbeingabletofightamansixty-sevenyearsofage，andbeingdeterminedtohavesatisfactionfortheinsultsofferedtoUrsula，demandeditformallyofme。Hisdetermination，havingbeenwell-weighedandconsidered，couldnotbeshaken。IfI
refused，hewasresolvedtomeetmeinsocietybeforepersonswhoseesteemIvalue，andinsultmeopenly。InFrance，acowardisunanimouslyscorned。Besides，themotivesfordemandingreparationshouldbeexplainedbyhonorablemen。Hesaidhewassorrytoresorttosuchextremities。Hissecondsdeclareditwouldbewiserinmetoarrangeameetingintheusualmanneramongmenofhonor，sothatUrsulaMirouetmightnotbeknownasthecauseofthequarrel；toavoidallscandalitwasbettertomakeajourneytothenearestfrontier。Inshort，mysecondsmethisyesterday，andtheyunanimouslyagreedthatIowedhimreparation。Aweekfromto-dayIleaveforGenevawithmytwofriends。MonsieurdePortenduere，MonsieurdeSoulanges，andMonsieurd
