〃My　God！〃　she　cried；　as　she　rushed　from　the　study；　〃what　has　happened？〃
  Less　ready　to　be　alarmed；　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　contented　himself　by　going　to　the　door　and　asking　a　servant　what　was　the　matter。
  〃Oh；　nothing；　Monsieur　le　comte；〃　replied　the　man。　〃Monsieur　Rene　in　shutting　a　drawer　pinched　his　finger；　that　is　all。〃
  The　peer　of　France　thought　it　unnecessary　to　convey　himself　to　the　scene　of　action；　he　knew；　by　experience　in　like　cases；　that　he　must　let　his　wife's　exaggerated　maternal　solicitude　have　free　course；　on　pain　of　being　sharply　snubbed　himself。　As　he　returned　to　his　desk；　he　noticed　lying　on　the　ground　the　famous　letter；　which　Madame　de　l'Estorade　had　evidently　dropped　in　her　hasty　flight。　Opportunity　and　a　certain　fatality　which　appears　to　preside　over　the　conduct　of　all　human　affairs；　impelled　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　who　thought　little　of　the　shock　his　wife　had　dreaded　for　him；　to　satisfy　his　curiosity　by　reading　the　letter。
  Marie…Gaston　wrote　as　follows：
  Madame；This　letter　will　seem　to　you　less　amusing　than　those　I　　　addressed　to　you　from　Arcis…sur…Aube。　But　I　trust　you　will　not　be　　　alarmed　by　the　decision　which　I　now　announce。　I　am　going　to　rejoin　　　my　wife；　from　whom　I　have　been　too　long　separated；　and　this　　　evening；　shortly　after　midnight；　I　shall　be　with　her；　never　to　　　part　again。
  You　have；　no　doubt；　said　to　yourselvesyou　and　Sallenauvethat　I　　　was　acting　strangely　in　not　visiting　her　grave；　that　is　a　remark　　　that　two　of　my　servants　made　the　other　day；　not　being　aware　that　I　　　overheard　them。　I　should　certainly　be　a　great　fool　to　go　and　look　　　at　a　stone　in　the　cemetery　which　can　make　me　no　response；　when　　　every　night；　at　twelve　o'clock；　I　hear　a　little　rap　on　the　door　of　　　my　room；　and　our　dear　Louise　comes　in；　not　changed　at　all；　except；　　　as　I　think；　more　plump　and　beautiful。　She　has　had　great　trouble　in　　　obtaining　permission　from　Marie；　queen　of　angels；　to　withdraw　me　　　from　earth。　But　last　night　she　brought　me　formal　leave；　sealed　　　with　green　wax；　and　she　also　gave　me　a　tiny　vial　of　hydrocyanic　　　acid。　A　single　drop　of　that　acid　puts　us　to　sleep；　and　on　waking　　　up　we　find　ourselves　on　the　other　side。
  Louise　desired　me　to　give　you　a　message　from　her。　I　am　to　tell　you　　　that　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　has　a　disease　of　the　liver　and　will　　　not　live　long；　and　that　after　his　death　you　are　to　marry　　　Sallenauve；　because；　on　the　/other　side/；　husbands　and　wives　who　　　really　love　each　other　are　reunited；　and　she　thinks　we　shall　all　　　fourshe　and　I　and　you　and　Sallenauvebe　much　happier　together　　　than　if　we　had　your　present　husband；　who　is　very　dull；　and　whom　　　you　married　reluctantly。
  My　message　given；　nothing　remains　for　me；　madame；　but　to　wish　you　　　all　the　patience　you　need　to　continue　for　your　allotted　time　in　　　this　low　world；　and　to　subscribe　myself　Your　very　affectionately　devoted
  Marie…Gaston。
  If；　after　reading　this　letter；　it　had　occurred　to　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　to　look　at　himself　in　the　glass；　he　would　have　seen；　in　the　sudden　convulsion　and　discoloration　of　his　face；　the　outward　and　visible　signs　of　the　terrible　blow　which　his　unfortunate　curiosity　had　brought　down　upon　him。　His　heart；　his　mind；　his　self…respect　staggered　under　one　and　the　same　shock；　the　madness　evident　in　the　sort　of　prediction　made　about　him　only　added　to　his　sense　of　its　horror。　Presently　convincing　himself；　like　a　mussulman；　that　madmen　have　the　gift　of　second　sight；　he　believed　he　was　a　lost　man；　and　instantly　a　stabbing　pain　began　on　his　liver　side；　while　in　the　direction　of　Sallenauve；　his　predicted　successor；　an　awful　hatred　succeeded　to　his　mild　good…will。　But　at　the　same　time；　conscious　of　the　total　want　of　reason　and　even　of　the　absurdity　of　the　impression　which　had　suddenly　surged　into　his　mind；　he　was　afraid　lest　its　existence　should　be　suspected；　and　he　looked　about　him　to　see　in　what　way　he　could　conceal　from　his　wife　his　fatal　indiscretion；　the　consequences　of　which　must　forever　weigh　upon　his　life。　It　was　certain；　he　thought；　that　if　she　found　the　paper　in　his　study　she　would　deduce　therefrom　the　fact　that　he　had　read　it。　Rising　from　his　desk；　he　softly　opened　the　door　leading　from　the　study　to　the　salon；　crossed　the　latter　room　on　tiptoe；　and　dropped　the　letter　at　the　farther　end　of　it；　as　Madame　de　l'Estorade　might　suppose　she　had　herself　done　in　her　hasty　departure。　Then　returning　to　his　study；　he　scattered　his　papers　over　his　desk；　like　a　school…boy　up　to　mischief；　who　wants　to　mislead　his　master　by　a　show　of　application；　intending　to　appear　absorbed　in　his　accounts　when　his　wife　returned。　Useless　to　add　that　he　listened　with　keen　anxiety　lest　some　other　person　than　she　should　come　into　the　salon；　in　which　case　he　determined　to　rush　out　and　prevent　other　eyes　from　reading　the　dreadful　secrets　contained　in　that　paper。
  Presently；　however；　the　voice　of　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　speaking　to　some　one　at　the　door　of　the　salon；　reassured　him　as　to　the　success　of　his　trick；　and　a　moment　later　she　entered　the　study　accompanied　by　Monsieur　Octave　de　Camps。　Going　forward　to　receive　his　visitor；　he　was　able　to　see　through　the　half…opened　door　the　place　where　he　had　thrown　the　letter。　Not　only　had　it　disappeared；　but　he　detected　a　movement　which　assured　him　that　Madame　de　l'Estorade　had　tucked　it　away　in　that　part　of　her　gown　where　Louis　XIV。　did　not　dare　to　search　for　the　secrets　of　Mademoiselle　d'Hautefort。
  〃I　have　come；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃to　get　you　to　go　with　me　to　Rastignac's；　as　agreed　on　last　night。〃
  〃Very　good；〃　said　the　peer；　putting　away　his　papers　with　a　feverish　haste　that　plainly　indicated　he　was　not　in　his　usual　state　of　mind。
  〃Don't　you　feel　well？〃　asked　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　who　knew　her　husband　by　heart　too　well　not　to　be　struck　by　the　singular　stupefaction　of　his　manner；　while　at　the　same　time；　looking　in　his　face；　she　saw　the　signs　of　internal　convulsion。
  〃True；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃you　certainly　do　not　look　so　well　as　usual。　If　you　prefer　it；　we　will　put　off　this　visit。〃
  〃No；　not　at　all；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade。　〃I　have　tired　myself　with　this　work；　and　I　need　the　air。　But　what　was　the　matter　with　Rene？〃　he　inquired　of　his　wife；　whose　attention　he　felt　was　unpleasantly　fixed　upon　him。　〃What　made　him　cry　like　that？〃
  〃Oh；　a　mere　nothing！〃　she　replied；　not　relaxing　her　attention。
  〃Well；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　the　peer；　trying　to　take　an　easy　tone；　〃just　let　me　change　my　coat　and　I'll　be　with　you。〃
  When　the　countess　was　alone　with　Monsieur　de　Camps；　she　said；　rather　anxiously；
  〃Don't　you　think　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　seems　very　much　upset？〃
  〃Yes；　as　I　said　just　now；　he　does　not　look　like　himself。　But　the　explanation　he　gave　seems　sufficient。　This　office　life　is　bad　for　the　health。　I　have　never　been　as　well　as　since　I　am　actively　engaged　about　my　iron…works。〃
  〃Yes；　certainly；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　with　a　heavy　sigh；　〃he　ought　to　have　a　more　active　life。　It　seems　plain　that　there　is　something　amiss　with　his　liver。〃
  〃What！　because　he　is　so　yellow？　He　has　been　so　ever　since　I　have　known　him。〃
  〃Oh；　monsieur；　I　can't　be　mistaken！　There　is　something　seriously　the　matter　with　him；　and　if　you　would　kindly　do　me　a　service〃
  〃Madame；　I　am　always　at　your　orders。〃
  〃When　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　returns；　speak　of　the　injury　to　Rene's　finger；　and　tell　me　that　little　wounds　like　that　sometimes　have　serious　consequences　if　not　attended　to　at　once；　and　that　will　give　me　an　excuse　to　send　for　Doctor　Bianchon。〃
  〃Certainly；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃but　I　really　don't　think　a　physician　is　necessary。　Still；　if　it　reassures　you〃
  At　this　moment　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　reappeared。　He　had　almost　recovered　his　usual　expression　of　face；　but　he　exhaled　a　strong　odor　of　/melisse　des　Carmes/；　which　indicated　that　he　had　felt　the　need　of　that　tonic。　Monsieur　de　Camps　played　his　part　admirably；　and　as　for　Madame　de　l'Estorade　it　did　not　cost　her　much　trouble　to　simulate　maternal　anxiety。
  〃My　dear；〃　she　said　to　her　husband；　when　Monsieur　de　Camps　had　delivered　himself　of　his　medical　opinion；　〃as　you　return　from　Monsieur　de　Rastignac's；　please　call　on　Doctor　Bianchon　and　ask　him　to　come　here。〃
  〃Pooh！〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃the　idea　of　disturbing　a　busy　man　like　him　for　what　you　yourself　said　was　a　mere　nothing！〃
  〃If　you　won't　go；　I　shall　send　Lucas；　Monsieur　de　Camps'　opinion　has　completely　upset　me。〃
  〃If　it　pleases　you　to　be　ridiculous；〃　said　the　peer　of　France；　crossly；　〃I　have　no　means　of　preventing　it；　but　I　beg　you　to　remark　one　thing：　if　people　disturb　physicians　for　mere　nonsense；　they　often　can't　get　them　when　they　are　really　wanted。〃
  〃Then　you　won't　go　for　the　doctor？〃
  〃Not　I；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃and　if　I　had　the　honor　of　being　anything　in　my　own　house；　I　should　forbid　you　to　send　anybody　in　my　place。〃
  〃My　dear；　you　are　the　master　here；　and　since　you　put　so　much　feeling　into　your　refusal；　let　us　say　no　more；　I　will　bear　my　anxiety　as　best　I　can。〃
  〃Come；　de　Camps；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃for　if　this　goes　on；　I　shall　be　sent　to　order　that　child's　funeral。〃
  〃But；　my　dear　husband；〃　said　the　countess；　taking　his　hand；　〃you　must　be　ill；