ut as soon as he finds that I have
revealed his shameful past."

"Let him speak."

Madame d'Argeles shuddered. "Then the name of Chalusse will be
disgraced," said she; "and Wilkie will know who his mother is."

"No."

"But----"

"Ah! allow me to finish, my dear friend. I have my plan, and it is
as plain as daylight. This evening you will write to your London
correspondent. Request M. Patterson to summon your son to England, under
any pretext whatever; let him pretend that he wishes to give him some
money, for instance. He will go there, of course, and then we will keep
him there. Coralth certainly won't run after him, and we shall have
nothing more to fear on that score."

"Great heavens!" murmured Madame d'Argeles, "why did this idea never
occur to me?"

The baron had now completely recovered his composure. "As regards
yourself," said he, "the plan you ought to adopt is still more simple.
What is your furniture worth? About a hundred thousand francs, isn't it?
Very well, then. You will sign me notes, dated some time back, to the
amount of a hundred thousand francs. On the day these notes fall due,
on Monday, for instance, they will be presented for payment. You will
refuse to pay them. A writ will be served, and an attachment placed
upon your furniture; but you will offer no resistance. I don't know if I
explain my meaning very clearly."

"Oh, very clearly!"

"So your property is seized. You make no opposition, and next week we
shall have flaming posters on all the walls, telling Paris that the
furniture, wardrobe, cashmeres, laces, and diamonds of Madame Lia
d'Argeles will be sold without reserve, at public auction, in the Rue
Drouot, with the view of satisfying the claims of her creditors. You
can imagine the sensation this announcement will create. I can see your
friends and the frequenters of your drawing-room meeting one another in
the street, and saying: 'Ah, well! what's this about poor d'Argeles?'
'Pshaw!--no doubt it's a voluntary sale.' 'Not at all; she's really
ruined. Everything is mortgaged above its value.' 'Indeed, I'm very
sorry to hear it. She was a good creature.' 'Oh, excellent; a deal of
amusement could be found at her house,--only between you and me----'
'Well?' 'Well, she was no longer young.' 'That's true. However, I
shall attend the sale, and I think I shall bid.' And, in fact, your
acquaintances won't fail to repair to the Hotel Drouot, and maybe your
most intimate friends will yie