In the midst of all this, M. Joannis de Nocheres died, and added to the already considerable fortune of his granddaughter another fortune of from six to seven hundred thousand livres.

This additional wealth became, on accruing to the marquise, what was then called, in countries where the Roman law prevailed, a ‘paraphernal’ estate that is to say that, falling in, after marriage? it was not included in the dowry brought by the wife, and that she could dispose freely both of the capital and the income, which might not be administered even by her husband without a power of attorney, and of which she could dispose at pleasure, by donation or by will.  And in fact, a few days after the marquise had entered into possession of her grandfather’s estate, her husband and his brothers learned that she had sent for a notary in order to be instructed as to her rights.  This step betokened an intention of separating this inheritance from the common property of the marriage; for the behaviour of the marquis towards his wife—­of which within himself he often recognised the injustice—­left him little hope of any other explanation.

About this time a strange event happened.  At a dinner given by the marquise, a cream was served at dessert:  all those who partook of this cream were ill; the marquis and his two brothers, who had not touched it, felt no evil effects.  The remainder of this cream, which was suspected of having caused illness to the guests, and particularly to the marquise, who had taken of it twice, was analysed, and the presence of arsenic in it demonstrated.  Only, having been mixed with milk, which is its antidote, the poison had lost some of its power, and had produced but half the expected effect.  As no serious disaster had followed this occurrence, the blame was thrown upon a servant, who was said to have mistaken arsenic for sugar, and everybody forgot it, or appeared to forget it.

The marquis, however, seemed to be gradually and naturally drawing nearer again to his wife; but this time Madame de Ganges was not deceived by his returning kindness.  There, as in his alienation, she saw the selfish hand of the abbe:  he had persuaded his brother that seven hundred thousand livres more in the house would make it worth while to overlook some levities of behaviour; and the marquis, obeying the impulse given, was trying, by kind dealing, to oppose his wife’s still unsettled intention of making a will.

Towards the autumn there was talk of going to spend that season at Ganges, a little town situated in Lower Languedoc, in the diocese of Montpellier, seven leagues from that town, and nineteen from Avignon.  Although this was natural enough, since the marquis was lord of the town and had a castle there, the marquise was seized by a strange shudder when she heard the proposal.  Remembrance of the prediction made to her returned immediately to her mind.  The recent and ill explained attempt to poison her, too, very naturally added to her fears.