-M. Gerard wanted to marry her, did he?

_Septmonts_--Yes; but when he learned that Mademoiselle Mauriceau was
a millionaire, as he had nothing and had no title other than his plain
name Gerard, he withdrew his pretensions.

_Clarkson_--That was a very proper thing for the young man to do. It
doesn't surprise me!

_Septmonts_--Yes; but now, Mr. Clarkson, this young gentleman has come
back--

_Clarkson_--And is too intimate a friend to your wife?

_Septmonts_--Ah, I do not say that!

_Clarkson_--What do you say, then?

_Septmonts_--That as the letter in question gives that impression, the
situation amounts to the same thing as far as a legal process is
concerned.

_Clarkson_ [_thoughtfully and coldly_]--Oh-h-h!

_Septmonts_--Don't you agree with me, Mr. Clarkson?

_Clarkson_--No, not at all. I can understand revenge on those who have
injured us, but not on those who haven't done so. And I don't like
vengeance on a woman anyway, even when she is guilty; and certainly
not when she is innocent; and you owe your wife a great deal--between
ourselves, you owe your wife a great deal, duke. I understand now why,
for once, your father-in-law M. Mauriceau sides with his daughter and
M. Gerard against you. He is sure they both are innocent. By-the-by,
does M. Mauriceau also know of this letter?

_Septmonts_--Yes. He even tried to take it from me by force.

_Clarkson_--Why did he not take it?

_Septmonts_--Ah, because you see, I had the presence of mind to tell
him that I did not have it any longer--that I had sent it to you!

_Clarkson_ [_ironically_]--That _was_ very clever!

_Septmonts_--And then when M. Gerard had challenged me, M. Mauriceau
thought he would make an impression by saying to him before me, "I
will be your second."

_Clarkson_--Well, is that the whole story?

_Septmonts_--Yes.

_Clarkson_--Very well, my dear sir: to speak frankly, all those people
whom you characterize so slightingly seem to me the right kind of
people--excellent people. Your little wife seems to be the victim of
prejudices, of morals, and of combinations about which we mere
American savages don't know anything at all. In our American society,
which of course I can't compare with yours, as we only date from
yesterday,--if Mademoiselle Mauriceau had loved a fine young fellow
like M. Gerard, her father would have given her to the man she loved;
or if he had refused that, why she would have gone quite simply and
been married be