"
Madame d'Argeles gave the agent a look of mingled irony and
distrust; and after a moment's reflection, she replied: "I am very
grateful for your interest, monsieur; but if I have any rights, it
is not my intention to urge them."
It seemed to M. Fortunat as if he were suddenly falling from some
immense height. "You are not in earnest," he exclaimed, "or you
are ignorant of the fact that M. de Chalusse leaves perhaps twenty
millions behind him."
"My course is decided on, monsieur; irrevocably decided on."
"Very well, madame; but it often happens that the court institutes
inquiries for the heirs of large fortunes, and this may happen in
your case."
"I should reply that I was not a member of the Chalusse family,
and that would end it. Startled by the news of my brother's
death, I allowed my secret to escape me. I shall know how to keep
it in future."
Anger succeeded astonishment in M. Fortunat's mind. "Madame,
madame, what can you be thinking of?" he cried, impetuously.
"Accept--in Heaven's name--accept this inheritance; if not for
yourself, for the sake of----"
In his excitement, he was about to commit a terrible blunder. He
saw it in time, and checked himself.
"For the sake of whom?" asked Madame d'Argeles, in an altered
voice.
"For the sake of Mademoiselle Marguerite, madame; for the sake of
this poor child, who is your niece. The count never having
acknowledged her as his daughter, she will be left actually
without bread, while her father's millions go to enrich the
state.
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