--He has plenty of money,
he alone could--"
"Listen, Hector it will be better for your wife to perish than to
leave our uncle to perish--and your brother--the honor of the family!"
cried the Baroness, struck by a flash of light. "Yes, I can save you
all.--Good God! what a degrading thought! How could it have occurred
to me?"
She clasped her hands, dropped on her knees, and put up a prayer. On
rising, she saw such a crazy expression of joy on her husband's face,
that the diabolical suggestion returned, and then Adeline sank into a
sort of idiotic melancholy.
"Go, my dear, at once to the War Office," said she, rousing herself
from this torpor; "try to send out a commission; it must be done. Get
round the Marshal. And on your return, at five o'clock, you will find
--perhaps--yes! you shall find two hundred thousand francs. Your
family, your honor as a man, as a State official, a Councillor of
State, your honesty--your son--all shall be saved;--but your Adeline
will be lost, and you will see her no more. Hector, my dear," said
she, kneeling before him, clasping and kissing his hand, "give me your
blessing! Say farewell."
It was so heart-rending that Hulot put his arms round his wife, raised
her and kissed her, saying:
"I do not understand.
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