his dishonorable calling I can't understand; but it is none the
less true that he does follow it, and without the slightest
attempt at concealment, at an office he has on the Place de la
Bourse."

This name and address were engraved upon the baron's memory, never
to be effaced.

"However," resumed M. de Valorsay, "the poor count was fated to
have no peace. The husband had scarcely ceased to torment him, he
had scarcely begun to breathe freely, when the wife attacked him
in her turn. She must have been one of those vile and despicable
women who make a man hate the entire sex. Pretending that the
count had turned her from the path of duty, and destroyed her life
and happiness, she lost no opportunity of tormenting him. She
would not allow M. de Chalusse to keep the child with him, nor
would she consent to his adopting the girl. She declared it an
act of imprudence, which would surely set her husband upon the
track, sooner or later. And when the count announced his
intention of legally adopting the child, in spite of her protests,
she declared that, rather than allow it, she would confess
everything to her husband."

"The count was a patient man," sneered the baron.

"Not so patient as you may suppose. His submission was due to
some secret cause which he never confided to me. There must have
been some great crime under all this. In any case, the poor count
found it impossible to escape this terrible woman. He took refuge
at Cannes; but she followed him. He travelled through Italy, for