At the Place Louis XV. the three young people separated - that is to say, Morrel went to the Boulevards,Chateau-Renaud to the Pont de la Revolution, and Debray tothe Quai. Most probably Morrel and Chateau-Renaud returnedto their "domestic hearths," as they say in the gallery ofthe Chamber in well-turned speeches, and in the theatre ofthe Rue Richelieu in well-written pieces; but it was not thecase with Debray. When he reached the wicket of the Louvre,he turned to the left, galloped across the Carrousel, passedthrough the Rue Saint-Roch, and, issuing from the Rue de laMichodiere, he arrived at M. Danglars' door just at the sametime that Villefort's landau, after having deposited him andhis wife at the Faubourg St. Honore, stopped to leave thebaroness at her own house. Debray, with the air of a manfamiliar with the house, entered first into the court, threwhis bridle into the hands of a footman, and returned to thedoor to receive Madame Danglars, to whom he offered his arm,to conduct her to her apartments. The gate once closed, andDebray and the baroness alone in the court, he asked, - "What was the matter with you, Hermine? and why were you soaffected at that story, or rather fable, which the countrelated?"

"Because I have been in such shocking spirits all theevening, my friend," said the baroness.

"No, Hermine," replied Debray; "you cannot make me believethat; on the contrary, you were in excellent spirits whenyou arrived at the count's. M. Danglars was disagreeable,certainly, but I know how much you care for his ill-humor.Some one has vexed you; I will allow no one to annoy you."

"You are deceived, Lucien, I assure you," replied MadameDanglars; "and what I have told you is really the case,added to the ill-humor you remarked, but which I did notthink it worth while to allude to." It was evident thatMadame Danglars was suffering from that nervous irritabilitywhich women frequently cannot account for even tothemselves; or that, as Debray had guessed, she hadexperienced some secret agitation that she would notacknowledge to any one. Being a man who knew that the formerof these symptoms was one of the inherent penalties ofwomanhood, he did not then press his inquiries, but waitedfor a more appropriate opportunity when he should againinterrogate her, or receive an avowal proprio motu. At thedoor of her apartment the baroness met MademoiselleCornelie, her confidential maid. "What is my daughterdoing?" asked Madame Danglars.

"She practiced all the evening, and then went to bed,"replied Mademoiselle Cornelie.

"Yet I think I hear her piano."

"It is Mademoiselle Louise d'Armilly, who is playing whileMademoiselle Danglars is in bed."

"Well," said Madame Danglars, "come and undress me." Theyentered the bedroom. Debray stretched himself upon a largecouch, and Madame Danglars passed into her dressing-roomwith Mademoiselle Cornelie. "My dear M. Lucien," said MadameDanglars through the door, "you are always complaining thatEugenie will not address a word to you."

"Madame," said Lucien, playing with a little dog, who,recognizing him as a friend of the house, expected to becaressed, "I am not the only one who makes similarcomplaints, I think I heard Morcerf say that he could notextract a word from his betrothed."

"True," said Madame Danglars; "yet I think this will allpass off, and that you will one day see her enter yourstudy."

"My study?"

"At least that of the minister."

"Why so!"

"To ask for an engagement at the Opera. Really, I never sawsuch an infatuation for music; it is quite ridiculous for ayoung lady of fashion." Debray smiled. "Well," said he, "lether come, with your consent and that of the baron, and wewill try and give her an engagement, though we are very poorto pay such talent as hers."

"Go, Cornelie," said Madame Danglars, "I do not require youany longer."

Cornelie obeyed, and the next minute Madame Danglars lefther room in a charming loose dress, and came and sat downclose to Debray. Then she began thoughtfully to caress thelittle spaniel. Lucien looked at her for a moment insilence. "Come, Hermine," he said, after a short time,"answer candidly, - something vexes you - is it not so?"

"Nothing," answered the baroness.

And yet, as she could scarcely breathe, she rose and wenttowards a looking-glass. "I am frightful to-night," shesaid. Debray rose, smiling, and was about to contradict thebaroness upon this latter point, when the door openedsuddenly. M. Danglars appeared; Debray reseated himself. Atthe noise of the door Madame Danglars turned round, andlooked upon her husband with an astonishment she took notrouble to conceal. "Good-evening, madame," said the banker;"good-evening, M. Debray."

Probably the baroness thought this unexpected visitsignified a desire to make up for the sharp words he haduttered during the day. Assuming a dignified air, she turnedround to Debray, without answering her husband. "Read mesomething, M. Debray," she said. Debray, who was slightlydisturbed at this visit, recovered himself when he saw thecalmness of the baroness, and took up a book marked by amother-of-pearl knife inlaid with gold. "Excuse me," saidthe banker, "but you will tire yourself, baroness, by suchlate hours, and M. Debray lives some distance from here."

Debray was petrified, not only to hear Danglars speak socalmly and politely, but because it was apparent thatbeneath outward politeness there really lurked a determinedspirit of opposition to anything his wife might wish to do.The baroness was also surprised, and showed her astonishmentby a look which would doubtless have had some effect uponher husband if he had not been intently occupied with thepaper, where he was looking to see the closing stockquotations. The result was, that the proud look entirelyfailed of its purpose.

"M. Lucien," said the baroness, "I assure you I have nodesire to sleep, and that I have a thousand things to tellyou this evening, which you must listen to, even though youslept while hearing me."

"I am at your service, madame," replied Lucien coldly.

"My dear M. Debray," said the banker, "do not kill yourselfto-night listening to the follies of Madame Danglars, foryou can hear them as well to-morrow; but I claim to-nightand will devote it, if you will allow me, to talk over someserious matters with my wife." This time the blow was sowell aimed, and hit so directly, that Lucien and thebaroness were staggered, and they interrogated each otherwith their eyes, as if to seek help against this aggression,but the irresistible will of the master of the houseprevailed, and the husband was victorious.

"Do not think I wish to turn you out, my dear Debray,"continued Danglars; "oh, no, not at all. An unexpectedoccurrence forces me to ask my wife to have a littleconversation with me; it is so rarely I make such a request,I am sure you cannot grudge it to me." Debray mutteredsomething, bowed and went out, knocking himself against theedge of the door, like Nathan in "Athalie."

"It is extraordinary," he said, when the door was closedbehind him, "how easily these husbands, whom we ridicule,gain an advantage over us."

Lucien having left, Danglars took his place on the sofa,closed the open book, and placing himself in a dreadfullydictatorial attitude, he began playing with the dog; but theanimal, not liking him as well as Debray, and attempting tobite him, Danglars seized him by the skin of his neck andthrew him upon a couch on the other side of the room. Theanimal uttered a cry during the transit, but, arrived at itsdestination, it crouched behind the cushions, and stupefiedat such unusual treatment remained silent and motionless."Do you know, sir," asked the baroness, "that you areimproving? Generally you are only rude, but to-night you arebrutal."

"It is because I am in a worse humor than usual," repliedDanglars. Hermine looked at the banker with supreme disdain.These glances frequently exasperated the pride of Danglars,but this evening he took no notice of them.

"And what have I to do with your ill-humor?" said thebaroness, irritated at the impassibility of her husband; "dothese things concern me? Keep your ill-humor at home in yourmoney boxes, or, since you have clerks whom you pay, vent itupon them."

"Not so," replied Danglars; "your advice is wrong, so Ishall not follow it. My money boxes are my Pactolus, as, Ithink, M. Demoustier says, and I will not retard its course,or disturb its calm. My clerks are honest men, who earn myfortune, whom I pay much below their deserts, if I may valuethem according to what they bring in; therefore I shall notget into a passion with them; those with whom I will be in apassion are those who eat my dinners, mount my horses, andexhaust my fortune."

"And pray who are the persons who exhaust your fortune?Explain yourself more clearly, I beg, sir."

"Oh, make yourself easy! - I am not speaking riddles, andyou will soon know what I mean. The people who exhaust myfortune are those who draw out 700,000 francs in the courseof an hour."

"I do not understand you, sir," said the baroness, trying todisguise the agitation of her voice and the flush of herface. "You understand me perfectly, on the contrary," saidDanglars: "but, if you will persist, I will tell you that Ihave just lost 700,000 francs upon the Spanish loan."

"And pray," asked the baroness, "am I responsible for thisloss?"

"Why not?"

"Is it my fault you have lost 700,000 francs?"

"Certainly it is not mine."

"Once for all, sir," replied the baroness sharply, "I tellyou I will not hear cash named; it is a style of language Inever heard in the house of my parents or in that of myfirst husband."

"Oh, I can well believe that, for neither of them was wortha penny."

"The better reason for my not being conversant with theslang of the bank, which is here dinning in my ears frommorning to night; that noise of jingling crowns, which areconstantly being counted and re-counted, is odious to me. Ionly know one thing I dislike more, which is the sound ofyour voice."

"Really?" said Danglars. "Well, this surprises me, for Ithought you took the liveliest interest in all my affairs!"

"I? What could put such an idea into your head?"

"Yourself."

"Ah? - what next?"

"Most assuredly."

"I should like to know upon what occasion?"

"Oh, mon Dieu, that is very easily done. Last February youwere the first who told me of the Haitian funds. You haddreamed that a ship had entered the harbor at Havre, thatthis ship brought news that a payment we had looked upon aslost was going to be made. I know how clear-sighted yourdreams are; I therefore purchased immediately as many sharesas I could of the Haitian debt, and I gained 400,000 francsby it, of which 100,000 have been honestly paid to you. Youspent it as you pleased; that was your business. In Marchthere was a question about a grant to a railway. Threecompanies presented themselves, each offering equalsecurities. You told me that your instinct, - and althoughyou pretend to know nothing about speculations, I think onthe contrary, that your comprehension is very clear uponcertain affairs, - well, you told me that your instinct ledyou to believe the grant would be given to the companycalled the Southern. I bought two thirds of the shares ofthat company; as you had foreseen, the shares trebled invalue, and I picked up a million, from which 250,000 francswere paid to you for pin-money. How have you spent this250,000 francs? - it is no business of mine."

"When are you coming to the point?" cried the baroness,shivering with anger and impatience.

"Patience, madame, I am coming to it."

"That's fortunate."

"In April you went to dine at the minister's. You heard aprivate conversation respecting Spanish affairs - on theexpulsion of Don Carlos. I bought some Spanish shares. Theexpulsion took place and I pocketed 600,000 francs the dayCharles V. repassed the Bidassoa. Of these 600,000 francsyou took 50,000 crowns. They were yours, you disposed ofthem according to your fancy, and I asked no questions; butit is not the less true that you have this year received500,000 livres."

"Well, sir, and what then?"

"Ah, yes, it was just after this that you spoiledeverything."

"Really, your manner of speaking" -

"It expresses my meaning, and that is all I want. Well,three days after that you talked politics with M. Debray,and you fancied from his words that Don Carlos had returnedto Spain. Well, I sold my shares, the news got out, and I nolonger sold - I gave them away, next day I find the newswas false, and by this false report I have lost 700,000francs."

"Well?"

"Well, since I gave you a fourth of my gains, I think youowe me a fourth of my losses; the fourth of 700,000 francsis 175,000 francs."

"What you say is absurd, and I cannot see why M. Debray'sname is mixed up in this affair."

"Because if you do not possess the 175,000 francs I reclaim,you must have lent them to your friends, and M. Debray isone of your friends."

"For shame!" exclaimed the baroness.

"Oh, let us have no gestures, no screams, no modern drama,or you will oblige me to tell you that I see Debray leavehere, pocketing the whole of the 500,000 livres you havehanded over to him this year, while he smiles to himself,saying that he has found what the most skilful players havenever discovered - that is, a roulette where he winswithout playing, and is no loser when he loses." Thebaroness became enraged. "Wretch!" she cried, "will you dareto tell me you did not know what you now reproach me with?"

"I do not say that I did know it, and I do not say that Idid not know it. I merely tell you to look into my conductduring the last four years that we have ceased to be husbandand wife, and see whether it has not always been consistent.Some time after our rupture, you wished to study music,under the celebrated baritone who made such a successfulappearance at the Theatre Italien; at the same time I feltinclined to learn dancing of the danseuse who acquired sucha reputation in London. This cost me, on your account andmine, 100,000 francs. I said nothing, for we must have peacein the house; and 100,000 francs for a lady and gentleman tobe properly instructed in music and dancing are not toomuch. Well, you soon become tired of singing, and you take afancy to study diplomacy with the minister's secretary. Youunderstand, it signifies nothing to me so long as you payfor your lessons out of your own cashbox. But to-day I findyou are drawing on mine, and that your apprenticeship maycost me 700,000 francs per month. Stop there, madame, forthis cannot last. Either the diplomatist must give hislessons gratis, and I will tolerate him, or he must neverset his foot again in my house; - do you understand,madame?"

"Oh, this is too much," cried Hermine, choking, "you areworse than despicable."

"But," continued Danglars, "I find you did not even pausethere" -

"Insults!"

"You are right; let us leave these facts alone, and reasoncoolly. I have never interfered in your affairs exceptingfor your good; treat me in the same way. You say you havenothing to do with my cash-box. Be it so. Do as you likewith your own, but do not fill or empty mine. Besides, howdo I know that this was not a political trick, that theminister enraged at seeing me in the opposition, and jealousof the popular sympathy I excite, has not concerted with M.Debray to ruin me?"

"A probable thing!"

"Why not? Who ever heard of such an occurrence as this? - afalse telegraphic despatch - it is almost impossible forwrong signals to be made as they were in the last twotelegrams. It was done on purpose for me - I am sure ofit."

"Sir," said the baroness humbly, "are you not aware that theman employed there was dismissed, that they talked of goingto law with him, that orders were issued to arrest him andthat this order would have been put into execution if he hadnot escaped by flight, which proves that he was either mador guilty? It was a mistake."

"Yes, which made fools laugh, which caused the minister tohave a sleepless night, which has caused the minister'ssecretaries to blacken several sheets of paper, but whichhas cost me 700,000 francs."

"But, sir," said Hermine suddenly, "if all this is, as yousay, caused by M. Debray, why, instead of going direct tohim, do you come and tell me of it? Why, to accuse the man,do you address the woman?"

"Do I know M. Debray? - do I wish to know him? - do I wishto know that he gives advice? - do I wish to follow it? - do I speculate? No; you do all this, not I."

"Still it seems to me, that as you profit by it - "

Danglars shrugged his shoulders. "Foolish creature," heexclaimed. "Women fancy they have talent because they havemanaged two or three intrigues without being the talk ofParis! But know that if you had even hidden yourirregularities from your husband, who has but thecommencement of the art - for generally husbands will notsee - you would then have been but a faint imitation ofmost of your friends among the women of the world. But ithas not been so with me, - I see, and always have seen,during the last sixteen years. You may, perhaps, have hiddena thought; but not a step, not an action, not a fault, hasescaped me, while you flattered yourself upon your address,and firmly believed you had deceived me. What has been theresult? - that, thanks to my pretended ignorance, there isnone of your friends, from M. de Villefort to M. Debray, whohas not trembled before me. There is not one who has nottreated me as the master of the house, - the only title Idesire with respect to you; there is not one, in fact, whowould have dared to speak of me as I have spoken of themthis day. I will allow you to make me hateful, but I willprevent your rendering me ridiculous, and, above all, Iforbid you to ruin me."

The baroness had been tolerably composed until the name ofVillefort had been pronounced; but then she became pale,and, rising, as if touched by a spring, she stretched outher hands as though conjuring an apparition; she then tooktwo or three steps towards her husband, as though to tearthe secret from him, of which he was ignorant, or which hewithheld from some odious calculation, - odious, as all hiscalculations were. "M. de Villefort! - What do you mean?"

"I mean that M. de Nargonne, your first husband, beingneither a philosopher nor a banker, or perhaps being both,and seeing there was nothing to be got out of a king'sattorney, died of grief or anger at finding, after anabsence of nine months, that you had been enceinte six. I ambrutal, - I not only allow it, but boast of it; it is oneof the reasons of my success in commercial business. Why didhe kill himself instead of you? Because he had no cash tosave. My life belongs to my cash. M. Debray has made me lose700,000 francs; let him bear his share of the loss, and wewill go on as before; if not, let him become bankrupt forthe 250,000 livres, and do as all bankrupts do - disappear.He is a charming fellow, I allow, when his news is correct;but when it is not, there are fifty others in the world whowould do better than he."

Madame Danglars was rooted to the spot; she made a violenteffort to reply to this last attack, but she fell upon achair thinking of Villefort, of the dinner scene, of thestrange series of misfortunes which had taken place in herhouse during the last few days, and changed the usual calmof her establishment to a scene of scandalous debate.Danglars did not even look at her, though she did her bestto faint. He shut the bedroom door after him, without addinganother word, and returned to his apartments; and whenMadame Danglars recovered from her half-fainting condition,she could almost believe that she had had a disagreeabledream.