which was replied to by
an impatient gesture of refusal, and M. de Veron turned again towards
the altar. Madame Carson next approached close to his chair, and
bending down, whispered in his ear, for perhaps a minute. As she did
so, M. de Veron's body rose slowly up, involuntarily as it were, and
stiffened into rigidity, as if under the influence of some frightful
spell. Forcing himself at last, it seemed, to confront the whisperer,
he no sooner caught her eye than he reeled, like one struck by a heavy
blow, against the pedestal of a saint, whose stony features looked
less white and bloodless than his own. Madame Carson contemplated the
effect she had produced with a kind of pride for a few moments, and
then, with a slight but peremptory wave of her hand, motioned him to
follow her out of the sacred edifice. M. de Veron hastily, though with
staggering steps, obeyed; Edouard le Blanc crossing the church and
reaching the street just soon enough to see them both driven off in M.
de Veron's carriage.

Edouard hurried back to the Grande Rue to report what he had
witnessed; and what could be the interpretation of the inexplicable
scene, engrossed the inventive faculties of all there, till they were
thoroughly tired of their wild and aimless guesses. Eight o'clock
chimed--nine--ten--and they were all, Edouard especially, working
themselves into a complete panic of undefinable apprehension, when, to
their great relief, M. de Veron's carriage drew up before the door.
The first person to alight was M. Bourdon, a notary of eminence; next
M. de Veron, who handed out Madame Carson; and all three walked
through the shop into the back-apartment. The notary wore his usual
business aspect, and had in his hands two rolls of thickly-written
parchment, which he placed upon the table, and at once began to spread
out. M. de Veron had the air of a man walking in a dream, and subdued,
mastered by some overpowering, nameless terror; while Madame Carson,
though pale with excitement, was evidently highly elated, and, to use
a French phrase, completely 'mistress of the situation.' She was the
first to break silence.

'Monsieur de Veron has been kind enough, Edouard, to explain, in the
presence of Monsieur Bourdon, the mistake in the accounts he was
disposed to charge you with to-day. He quite remembers, now, having
received two thousand francs from you, for which, in his hurry at the
time, he gave you no voucher. Is not that so, Monsieur de Vero