But these are mere conjectures."

"Then I see that it is necessary to submit, to be resigned; forget, I
cannot," faltered Maurice.

He said this because he wished to reassure his father; but he thought
exactly the opposite.

"If Lacheneur is organizing a conspiracy," he said, to himself, "he
must need assistance. Why should I not offer mine? If I aid him in
his preparations, if I share his hopes and his dangers, it will be
impossible for him to refuse me the hand of his daughter. Whatever he
may desire to undertake, I can surely be of greater assistance than
Chanlouineau."

From that moment Maurice thought only of doing everything possible to
hasten his convalescence. This was so rapid, so extraordinarily rapid,
as to astonish Abbe Midon, who had taken the place of the physician from
Montaignac.

"I never would have believed that Maurice could have been thus
consoled," said Mme. d'Escorval, delighted to see her son's wonderful
improvement in health and spirits.

But the baron made no response. He regarded this almost miraculous
recovery with distrust; he was assailed by a vague suspicion of the
truth.

He questioned his son, but skilfully as he did it, he could draw nothing
from him.