e that she had fathomed Madame Leon's
character, I should not be at all surprised."

It was necessary to ascertain what had become of Marguerite; and Pascal
was puzzling his brain to discover how this might be done, when suddenly
he exclaimed: "Madame Vantrasson! We have her; let us make use of her.
It will be easy to find some excuse for sending her to the Hotel de
Chalusse: she will gossip with the servants there, and in that way we
can discover the changes that have taken place."

This was a heroic resolution on Pascal's part, and one which he would
have recoiled from the evening before. But it is easy to be brave when
one is hopeful; and he saw his chances of success increase so rapidly
that he no longer feared the obstacles that had once seemed almost
insurmountable. Even his mother's opposition had ceased to alarm him.
For why should he fear after the surprising proof she had given him of
her love of justice, proving that the pretended letter from Mademoiselle
Marguerite was really a forgery?

He slept but little that night and did not stir from the house on the
following day. He was busily engaged in perfecting his plan of attack
against the marquis. His advantages were considerable, thanks to Baron
Trigault, who had placed a hundred thousand francs at his disposal;
but the essential point was to use this amount in such a way as to win
Valorsay's confidence, and induce him to betray himself. Pascal's hours
of meditation were not spent in vain, and when it became time for him to
repair to his enemy's house, he said to his mother: "I've found a plan;
and if the baron will let me follow it out, Valorsay is mine!"

XIII.

It was pure childishness on Pascal's part to doubt Baron Trigault's
willingness to agree even with closed eyes to any measures he might
propose. He ought to have recollected that their interests were
identical, that they hated the same men with equal hatred, and that they
were equally resolved upon vengeance. And certainly the events which had
occurred since their last interview had not been of a nature to modify
the baron's intentions. However, misfortune had rendered Pascal timid
and suspicious, and it was not until he reached the baron's house that
his fears vanished. The manner in which the servants received him proved
that the baron greatly esteemed him: for the man must be stupid indeed
who does not know that the greeting of the servants is ever in harmony
with the feelings of the