"Madame Lemaire was married at the time?"
Nathalie raised her head from her husband's shoulder.
"Has he a wife?"
"Poor woman, yes. At any rate, monsieur le baron has drawn the teeth of
their principal witness, the concierge who was carrying the letters. If
it were only as a matter of expediency," he went on, addressing Leon,
"your admission has, beyond a doubt, weakened their case. Somehow or
other they had proof up to a certain point; Maitre Barraud was convinced
of it. Beyond this they can have none, and the rope lies slack in their
hands."
"Ah, yes, listen, my friend!" cried Nathalie, joyfully.
Leon had made an effort, strange to his nature, to control himself and
spare his wife in their interview. He had been inexpressibly touched by
the swiftness of rescue she had brought to his aid on that terrible
night. He knew that at this moment she was wearing gloves, lest his
eyes should be offended by the cuts and scratches on her hands. He had
strung himself heroically to the point of concealing his misery, and of
letting her suppose that the worst was past. But, as is often the case,
he resented a cheerful view on her part, and could not allow her, even
for an instant, to lighten the weight of the situation. In a moment he
was plunged into black gloom, and assuring her that whatever happened he
could never survive the humiliation of the trial. M. Rodoin discreetly
withdrew to the farthest limits, and stood regarding a black spot on the
wall. He turned a deaf ear as well as a back, but he could not help
hearing a confused murmur of pleading words, sighs, groans, and muttered
exclamations of misery. The lawyer fidgeted, looked at his watch, and
took a sudden resolution. He turned round sharply.
"Monsieur le baron," he said, brusquely, "permit me to point out that if
you kill madame before the trial, there, will be one good head the less
on our side. That is all."
"Monsieur!" cried Nathalie, reproachfully.
"Yes, yes, madame, I am perfectly aware that most women's hearts are as
tough as leather, and yours may be among them, but there are exceptions.
It will be awkward if yours should turn out an exception. Monsieur
Leon would do well to recollect this, and, also, that the complication
is one of his own making."
The young man straightened himself.
"You hit--hard, Monsieur Rodoin," he said, breathing heavily.
"Because I never in my life esteemed you half so much as I do now,
monsieur," said the lawyer, in a low voice, "or pitied you less. You
committed a wrong act, so have many of us. You have the courage to
expiate it, as many of us have not. You will gain the respect of honest
men, and you have your wife's devoted love. Allons, monsieur, whatever
happens, you are not so much to be pitied. The time is up; here comes
the warder. Madame will never forgive me for what I have had the
presumption to say; nevertheless, she and I will go and cogitate over
the best line of defence."