Still, his
expression denoted profound commiseration, and he shook his head
thoughtfully. The idea had occurred to him that this unfortunate
young girl had been the victim, not precisely of a madman, but of
one of those maniacs who have just enough reason left to invent
the tortures they inflict upon those around them.
Speaking more slowly than before, as if she were desirous of
attracting increased attention on the magistrate's part,
Mademoiselle Marguerite now continued: "If I reminded M. de
Chalusse of a person whom he had formerly loved, that person may
have been my mother. I say, MAY HAVE BEEN, because I am not
certain of it. All my efforts to discover the truth were
unavailing. M. de Chalusse seemed to take a malicious pleasure in
destroying all my carefully-arranged theories, and in upsetting
the conjectures which he had encouraged himself only twenty-four
hours previously. Heaven only knows how anxiously I listened to
his slightest word! And it can be easily understood why I did so.
My strange and compromising connection with him drove me nearly
frantic. It was not strange that people's suspicions were
aroused. True, he had changed all his servants before my arrival
here; but he had requested Madame Leon to remain with me, and who
can tell what reports she may have circulated? It has often
happened that when returning from mass on Sundays, I have
overheard persons say, 'Look! there is the Count de Chalusse's
mistress!' Oh! not a single humiliation has been spared me--not a
single one! However, on one point I did not feel the shadow of a
doubt.
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