at once and go to the Hotel de Chalusse, in order to
ascertain what has occurred there. You on your side must hasten to
Madame d'Argeles and request her politely, but firmly, to furnish you
with the necessary proofs to assert your rights. If she consents, well
and good! If she refuses, we will consult some lawyer as to the next
step. In any case, call here again at four o'clock."

But the thought of meeting Madame d'Argeles again was anything but
pleasing to Wilkie. "I would willingly yield that undertaking to some
one else," said he. "Cannot some one else go in my place?"

Fortunately M. de Coralth knew how to encourage him. "What! are you
afraid?" he asked.

Afraid! he?--never! It was easy to see that by the way he settled his
hat on his head and went off, slamming the door noisily behind him.

"What an idiot!" muttered M. de Coralth. "And to think that there are
ten thousand in Paris built upon the very same plan!"

M. de Valorsay gravely shook his head. "Let us thank fortune that he is
as he is. No youth who possessed either heart or intelligence would play
the part that I intend for him, and enable me to obtain proud Marguerite
and her millions. But I fear he won't go to Madame d'Argeles's house.
You noticed his repugnance!"

"Oh, you needn't trouble yourself in the least on that account--he'll
go. He would go to the devil if the noble Marquis de Valorsay ordered
him to do so."

M. de Coralth understood Wilkie perfectly. The fear of being considered
a coward by a nobleman like the Marquis de Valorsay was more than
sufficient, not only to divest him of all his scruples, but even to
induce him to commit any act of folly, or actually a crime. For if he
had looked upon M. de Coralth as an oracle, he considered the marquis to
be a perfect god.

Accordingly, as he hastened toward Madame d'Argeles's residence, he said
to himself: "Why shouldn't I go to her house? I've done her no injury.
Besides, she won't eat me." And remembering that he should be obliged to
render a report of this interview, he resolved to assert his superiority
and to remain cool and unmoved, as he had seen M. de Coralth do so
often.

However, the unusual aspect of the house excited his surprise, and
puzzled him not a little. Three huge furniture vans, heavily laden, were
standing outside the gate. In the courtyard there were two more vehicles
of the same description, which a dozen men or so were busily engaged
in loading. "Ah, ha!" muttered