en you think yourself sure of him, I will say two words to him, and
turn him inside out like this glove. That is what I had to say to you,
madame I will not detain you longer. You may have in me a devoted friend
or a mortal enemy. Reflect."

At these words the abbe loosed his hold upon the bridle of the marquise's
horse and left her free to guide it as she would. The marquise put her
beast to a trot, so as to show neither fear nor haste. The abbe followed
her, and both rejoined the hunt.

The abbe had spoken truly. The marquise, notwithstanding the threat
which she had made, reflected upon the influence which this man had over
her husband, and of which she had often had proof she kept silence,
therefore, and hoped that he had made himself seem worse than he was, to
frighten her. On this point she was strangely mistaken.

The abbe, however, wished to see, in the first place, whether the
marquise's refusal was due to personal antipathy or to real virtue. The
chevalier, as has been said, was handsome; he had that usage of good
society which does instead of mind, and he joined to it the obstinacy of
a stupid man; the abbe undertook to persuade him that he was in love with
the marquise. It was not a difficult matter. We have described the
impression made upon the chevalier by the first sight of Madame de
Ganges; but, owing beforehand the reputation of austerity that his
sister-in-law had acquired, he had not the remotest idea of paying court
to her. Yielding, indeed, to the influence which she exercised upon all
who came in contact with her, the chevalier had remained her devoted
servant; and the marquise, having no reason to mistrust civilities which
she took for signs of friendliness, and considering his position as her
husband's brother, treated him with less circumspection than was her
custom.

The abbe sought him out, and, having made sure they were alone, said,
"Chevalier, we both love the same woman, and that woman is our brother's
wife; do not let us thwart each other: I am master of my passion, and can
the more easily sacrifice it to you that I believe you are the man
preferred; try, therefore, to obtain some assurance of the love which I
suspect the marquise of having for you; and from the day when you reach
that point I will withdraw, but otherwise, if you fail, give up your
place civilly to me, that I may try, in my turn, whether her heart is
really impregnable, as everybody says."

The chevalier h