Peyrolles prepared to be frank. He put up his hand, and whispered behind
it cautiously: "The married life of the Prince de Gonzague and the widow
of Nevers has not been ideally happy."
Æsop grinned at him in derision. "You surprise me!" he commented,
ironically.
Peyrolles went on: "The marriage is only a marriage in name. What
arguments succeeded in persuading so young a widow to marry again so soon
I do not, of course, know." He paused for a moment and frowned a little,
for Æsop, though saying nothing, was lolling out his tongue at him
mockingly. Then he went on, with a somewhat ruffled manner: "At all
events, whatever the arguments were, they succeeded, and the Duchess de
Nevers became the Princess de Gonzague. After the ceremony the Princess
de Gonzague told her husband that she lived only in the hope of
recovering her child, and that she would kill herself if she were not
left in peace."