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〃Oh； yes！〃 was his reply； 〃but children will come！〃
〃What makes you think so？〃
〃I have consulted the best doctors； and they agree in advising me to
travel for a couple of months。〃
〃Gaston；〃 I said； 〃if love in absence had been possible for me； do you
suppose I should ever have left the convent？〃
He laughed； but as for me； dear； the word 〃travel〃 pierced my heart。
Rather； far rather； would I leap from the top of the house than be
rolled down the staircase； step by step。Farewell； my sweetheart。 I
have arranged for my death to be easy and without horrors； but
certain。 I made my will yesterday。 You can come to me now； the
prohibition is removed。 Come； then； and receive my last farewell。 I
will not die by inches； my death； like my life； shall bear the impress
of dignity and grace。
Good…bye； dear sister soul； whose affection has never wavered nor
grown weary； but has been the constant tender moonlight of my soul。 If
the intensity of passion has not been ours； at least we have been
spared its venomous bitterness。 How rightly you have judged of life！
Farewell。
LV
THE COMTESSE DE L'ESTORADE TO MME。 GASTON
July 16th。
My dear Louise；I send this letter by an express before hastening to
the chalet myself。 Take courage。 Your last letter seemed to me so
frantic； that I thought myself justified； under the circumstances； in
confiding all to Louis； it was a question of saving you from yourself。
If the means we have employed have been； like yours； repulsive； yet
the result is so satisfactory that I am certain you will approve。 I
went so far as to set the police to work； but the whole thing remains
a secret between the prefect； ourselves and you。
In one word； Gaston is a jewel！ But here are the facts。 His brother；
Louis Gaston； died at Calcutta； while in the service of a mercantile
company； when he was on the very point of returning to France； a rich；
prosperous； married man； having received a very large fortune with his
wife； who was the widow of an English merchant。 For ten years he had
worked hard that he might be able to send home enough to support his
brother； to whom he was devotedly attached； and from whom his letters
generously concealed all his trials and disappointments。
Then came the failure of the great Halmer house； the widow was ruined；
and the sudden shock affected Louis Gaston's brain。 He had no mental
energy left to resist the disease which attacked him； and he died in
Bengal； whither he had gone to try and realize the remnants of his
wife's property。 The dear； good fellow had deposited with a banker a
first sum of three hundred thousand francs； which was to go to his
brother； but the banker was involved in the Halmer crash； and thus
their last resource failed them。
Louis' widow； the handsome woman whom you took for your rival； arrived
in Paris with two childrenyour nephewsand an empty purse； her
mother's jewels having barely sufficed to pay for bringing them over。
The instructions which Louis Gaston had given the banker for sending
the money to his brother enabled the widow to find your husband's
former home。 As Gaston had disappeared without leaving any address；
Mme。 Louis Gaston was directed to d'Arthez； the only person who could
give any information about him。
D'Arthez was the more ready to relieve the young woman's pressing
needs； because Louis Gaston； at the time of his marriage four years
before； had written to make inquiries about his brother from the
famous author； whom he knew to be one of his friends。 The Captain had
consulted d'Arthez as to the best means of getting the money safely
transferred to Marie； and d'Arthez had replied； telling him that
Gaston was now a rich man through his marriage with the Baronne de
Macumer。 The personal beauty； which was the mother's rich heritage to
her sons； had saved them bothone in India； the other in Parisfrom
destitution。 A touching story； is it not？
D'Arthez naturally wrote； after a time； to tell your husband of the
condition of his sister…in…law and her children； informing him； at the
same time； of the generous intentions of the Indian Gaston towards his
Paris brother； which an unhappy chance had frustrated。 Gaston； as you
may imagine； hurried off to Paris。 Here is the first ride accounted
for。 During the last five years he had saved fifty thousand francs out
of the income you forced him to accept； and this sum he invested in
the public funds under the names of his two nephews； securing them
each； in this way； an income of twelve hundred francs。 Next he
furnished his sister…in…law's rooms； and promised her a quarterly
allowance of three thousand francs。 Here you see the meaning of his
dramatic labors and the pleasure caused him by the success of his
first play。
Mme。 Gaston； therefore； is no rival of yours； and has every right to
your name。 A man of Gaston's sensitive delicacy was bound to keep the
affair secret from you； knowing as he did； your generous nature。 Nor
does he look on what you give him as his own。 D'Arthez read me the
letter he had from your husband； asking him to be one of the witnesses
at his marriage。 Gaston in this declares that his happiness would have
been perfect but for the one drawback of his poverty and indebtedness
to you。 A virgin soul is at the mercy of such scruples。 Either they
make themselves felt or they do not； and when they do； it is easy to
imagine the conflict of feeling and embarrassment to which they give
rise。 Nothing is more natural than Gaston's wish to provide in secret
a suitable maintenance for the woman who is his brother's widow； and
who had herself set aside one hundred thousand francs for him from her
own fortune。 She is a handsome woman； warm…hearted； and extremely
well…bred； but not clever。 She is a mother； and； you may be sure； I
lost my heart to her at first sight when I found her with one child in
her arms； and the other dressed like a little lord。 The children
first！ is written in every detail of her house。
Far from being angry； therefore； with your beloved husband； you should
find in all this fresh reason for loving him。 I have met him； and
think him the most delightful young fellow in Paris。 Yes！ dear child；
when I saw him； I had no difficulty in understanding that a woman
might lose her head about him； his soul is mirrored in his
countenance。 If I were you； I should settle the widow and her children
at the chalet； in a pretty little cottage which you could have built
for them； and adopt the boys！
Be at peace； then； dear soul； and plan this little surprise； in your
turn； for Gaston。
LVI
MME。 GASTON TO THE COMTESSE DE L'ESTORADE
Ah！ my dear friend； what can I say in answer except the cruel /〃It is
too late〃/ of that fool Lafayette to his royal master？ Oh！ my life； my
sweet life； what physician will give it back to me。 My own hand has
dealt the deathblow。 Alas！ have I not been a mere will…o'…the…wisp；
whose twinkling spark was fated to perish before it reached a flame？
My eyes rain torrents of tearsand yet they must not fall when I am
with him。 I fly to him； and he seeks me。 My despair is all within。
This torture Dante forgot to place in his /Inferno。/ Come to see me
die！