Oh, I will love you truly," she
exclaimed, with an angelic tenderness in strange contrast with her
attempts at coquettish trickery.
"But cease to tremble so," said Crevel.
"Am I trembling?" said the Baroness, unconscious of the infirmity that
had so suddenly come upon her.
"Yes; why, look," said Crevel, taking Adeline by the arm and showing
her that she was shaking with nervousness. "Come, madame," he added
respectfully, "compose yourself; I am going to the Bank at once."
"And come back quickly! Remember," she added, betraying all her
secrets, "that the first point is to prevent the suicide of our poor
Uncle Fischer involved by my husband--for I trust you now, and I am
telling you everything. Oh, if we should not be on time, I know my
brother-in-law, the Marshal, and he has such a delicate soul, that he
would die of it in a few days."
"I am off, then," said Crevel, kissing the Baroness' hand. "But what
has that unhappy Hulot done?"
"He has swindled the Government."
"Good Heavens! I fly, madame; I understand, I admire you!"
Crevel bent one knee, kissed Madame Hulot's skirt, and vanished,
saying, "You will see me soon."
Unluckily, on his way from the Rue Plumet to his own house, to fetch
the securities, Crevel went along the Rue Vanneau, and he could not
resist going in to see his little Duchess.
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