These three accomplices had no suspicion of his real intentions. As for
the Widow Chupin and her son, if they suspected some infamous plot, the
name of the duchess was all they really knew in regard to it. Moreover,
Jean held Polyte and his mother completely under his control by the
wealth which he had promised them if they served him docilely.
And if Martial followed his wife into the Poivriere, Jean had so
arranged matters that the duke would at first suppose that she had been
led there by charity.
"But he will not go in," thought Lacheneur, whose heart throbbed wildly
with sinister joy as he held Martial's horse. "Monsieur le Duc is too
fine for that."
And Martial did not go in. Though he was horrified when he saw his wife
enter that vile den, as if she were at home there, he said to himself
that he should learn nothing by following her.
He, therefore, contented himself by making a thorough examination of
the outside of the house; then, remounting his horse, he departed on a
gallop. He was completely mystified; he did not know what to think, what
to imagine, what to believe.
Pages:
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773