“You promised me, Hector,” said she, “not to see Laurence any more, and to give up this marriage.”

He tried to reply.

“Let me speak,” she continued, “and explain yourself afterward.  You have broken your word—­you are deceiving my confidence!  But I tell you, you shall not marry her!” Then, without awaiting his reply, she overwhelmed him with reproaches.  Why had he come here at all?  She was happy in her home before she knew him.  She did not love Sauvresy, it was true; but she esteemed him, and he was good to her.  Ignorant of the happiness of true love, she did not desire it.  But he had come, and she could not resist his fascination.  And now, after having engaged her affection, he was going to desert her, to marry another!  Tremorel listened to her, perfectly amazed at her audacity.  What!  She dared to pretend that it was he who had abused her innocence, when, on the contrary, he had sometimes been astonished at her persistency!  Such was the depth of her corruption, as it seemed to him, that he wondered whether he were her first or her twentieth lover.  And she had so led him on, and had so forcibly made him feel the intensity of her will, that he had been fain still to submit to this despotism.  But he had now determined to resist on the first opportunity; and he resisted.

“Well, yes,” said he, frankly, “I did deceive you; I have no fortune—­ this marriage will give me one; I shall get married.”  He went on to say that he loved Laurence less than ever, but that he coveted her money more and more every day.  “To prove this,” he pursued, “if you will find me to-morrow a girl who has twelve hundred thousand francs instead of a million, I will marry her in preference to Mademoiselle Courtois.”

She had never suspected he had so much courage.  She had so long moulded him like soft wax, and this unexpected conduct disconcerted her.  She was indignant, but at the same time she felt that unhealthy satisfaction that some women feel, when they meet a master who subdues them; and she admired Tremorel more than ever before.  This time, he had taken a tone which conquered her; she despised him enough to think him quite capable of marrying for money.  When he had done, she said: 

“It’s really so, then; you only care for the million of dowry?”

“I’ve sworn it to you a hundred times.”

“Truly now, don’t you love Laurence?”

“I have never loved her, and never shall.”  He thought that he would thus secure his peace until the wedding-day; once married, he cared not what would happen.  What cared he for Sauvresy?  Life is only a succession of broken friendships.  What is a friend, after all?  One who can and ought to serve you.  Ability consists in breaking with people, when they cease to be useful to you.

Bertha reflected.

“Hear me, Hector,” said she at last.  “I cannot calmly resign myself to the sacrifice which you demand.  Let me have but a few days, to accustom myself to this dreadful blow.  You owe me as much—­ let Clement get well, first.”