“What! Malgat had the sublime self-abnegation to undergo the agonies of
a trial, and the infamy of a condemnation, without allowing a word to
escape?”
“No. For the simple reason that Malgat was sentenced _in contumaciam_ to
ten years in the penitentiary.”
“And what has become of the poor wretch?”
“Who knows? They say he killed himself. Two months later, a half
decomposed body was found in the forest of Saint Germain, which people
declared to be Malgat. However”--
He had become livid, in his turn; but he continued in an almost
inaudible voice, as if to meet Daniel’s objections before they were
expressed,--
“However, somebody who used to be intimate with Malgat has assured me
that he met him one day in Dronot Street, before the great auction-
mart. The man said he recognized him, although he seemed to be most
artistically disguised. This is what has set me thinking more than once,
that, if people were not mistaken, a day might, after all, yet come,
when Miss Sarah would have a terrible bill to settle with her implacable
creditor.”
He passed his hand across his brow as if to drive away such
uncomfortable thoughts, and then said with a forced laugh,--
“Now, my dear fellow, I have come to the end of my budget. The details
were all given me by Miss Sarah’s friends as well as by her enemies.
Some you may read of in the papers; but most I know from my own long and
patient observation. And, if you ask me what interest I could have in
knowing such a woman, I will tell you frankly, that you see before you
one of her victims; for my dear Daniel, I have to confess it, I also
have been in love with her; and how! But I was too small a personage,
and too poor a devil, to be worth a serious thought of Miss Brandon.
As soon as she felt sure that her abominable tricks had set my head on
fire, and that I had become an idiot, a madman, a stupid fool--on that
very day she laughed in my face. Ah! I tell you, she played with me
as if I had been a child, and then she sent me off as if I had been a
lackey. And now I hate her mortally, as I loved her almost criminally.
Therefore, if I can help you, in secret, without becoming known, you may
count upon me.”
Why should Daniel have doubted the truthfulness of his friend’s
statements? Had he not himself, and quite voluntarily, confessed his
own folly, his own love, anticipating all questions, and making a clean
breast of the whole matter?
Not a doubt, therefore, arose in Daniel’s mind. On the contrary, he
thanked God for having sent him such an ally, such a friend, who had
lived long enough amid all these intrigues of Parisian high life to know
all its secret springs, and to guide him safely. He took Maxime’s hand
in his own, and said with deep feeling,--
“Now, my friend, we are bound to each other for life.”
Brevan seemed deeply touched; he raised his hand as if to wipe a tear
from his eyes. But he was not a man to give way to tender feelings. He
said,--
“But how about your friend? How can we prevent his marrying Miss Sarah?
Does any way occur to you? No? Ah! you see, it will be hard work.”
He seemed to meditate deeply for a few moments; then uttering his words
slowly and emphatically, as if to lend them their full weight, and
impress them forcibly on Daniel’s mind, he resumed,--
“We must attack Miss Brandon herself, if we want to master the
situation. If we could once know who she really is, all would be safe.
Fortunately there is no difficulty in Paris in finding spies, if you
have money enough.”
As the clock on the mantlepiece struck half-past ten, he started and
stopped. He jumped up as if suddenly inspired by a bright idea, and said
hurriedly,--
“But now I think of it, Daniel, you do not know Miss Brandon; you have
never even seen her!”
“No, indeed!”
“Well, that’s a pity. We must know our enemies; how else can we even
smile at them? I want you to see Miss Sarah.”
“But who will point her out to me? where? when?”
“I will do it to-night, at the opera. I bet she will be there!”
Daniel was in evening costume, having called upon Henrietta, and then he
was all ready.
“Very well,” he said, “I am willing.”
Without losing a moment, they went out, and reached the theatre just
as the curtain rose on the fourth act of Don Giovanni. They were,
fortunately, able to secure two orchestra-chairs. The stage was
gorgeous; but what did they care for the singer on the boards, or the
divine music of Mozart? Brevan took his opera-glasses out, and rapidly
surveying the house, he had soon found what he was looking for. He
touched Daniel with his elbow, and, handing him the glasses, whispered
in his ear,--
“Look there, in the third box from the stage; look, there she is!”