Lacheneur leave the prison, came
to Chanlouineau to ascertain the result of her visit.
"Well, my good fellow--" began the marquis, in his most condescending
manner.
"Leave!" cried Chanlouineau, in a fury of passion. "Leave, or----"
Without waiting to hear the end of the sentence the marquis made his
escape, greatly surprised and not a little dismayed by this sudden
change.
"What a dangerous and blood-thirsty rascal!" he remarked to the guard.
"It would, perhaps, be advisable to put him in a strait-jacket!"
Ah! there was no necessity for that. The heroic peasant had thrown
himself upon his straw pallet, oppressed with feverish anxiety.
Would Marie-Anne know how to make the best use of the weapon which he
had placed in her hands?
If he hoped so, it was because she would have as her counsellor and
guide a man in whose judgment he had the most implicit confidence--Abbe
Midon.
"Martial will be afraid of the letter," he said to himself, again and
again; "certainly he will be afraid."
In this Chanlouineau was entirely mistaken.
Pages:
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452