Conscience -- Volume 2

e would play it to the best of his ability in entering the skin o

uld be more natural. It was that only, and nothing but that, which he could admit; consequently, he

e Caffie affair?" he asked t

thought it prudent to be reserved. "I kno

oned there; at the end of several minutes, on turning a corner, he saw that this man followed them at a certain

ked him if he would take a carriage, but he decl

ately, the man who had followed them approached. The raising of the hat was a signal. As from the deserted quarters of th

ish him, but since they took these precautions with him, all was not yet decided. He must, then, def

once; he was questioning a woman, and Florentin examined him by stealth. He saw a man of elegant and easy figure, still yo

stence, carelessly, and simply because his eyes fell upon him. Before a table a clerk was writing, a

turned his he

ake away t

essing Florentin, he a

ames, and h

the agent of affairs, Caff

y work was

afraid

mother at the Batignolles. I had an hour and a half for that; at half-past eight I had to return, and stay until ten or half-past. In accepting this position I believed that I should be able to finish my education, inter

ve you be

prejudices that nothing would destroy. However, he must reply, for what he would

ictoire, where I was not obliged to work in the evening. I

hy

for me to take them up again. I had forgotten nearly all I had learned. I should, without doubt, fail in my examina

since yo

ee w

went to s

es

at

ation to replace the one he

e day of t

es

hat t

a quarter to three, and I l

he certificate for

here i

aying that, during the time that M. Florentin Cormier was his clerk, Caffie wa

n to him during the ev

urn? I had obtain

ou or did yo

ot retur

at you did on leavi

manner of conducting the interview would have destroyed it. It was not a witness who was bei

I went down to the quays, and looked at the old books from the Pont Royale to the Institute; but at th

when you reached y

nutes aft

not say

ast five, a few mi

id not go

N

your mother's after

seven o'clock, as usual, when

r rooms did you speak with

N

ith an aggravating persistency. It seemed as if this look, which enve

"You did not lose a trousers' b

ny was impossible. It would be easy to convict him of a fib, for the fact of the question being asked was suf

aid, "and t

highest shelf of the cases, his slipping on the ladder, and the los

om it a small box, from which he took

t it?"

in look

nswer," he said, finally; "o

alw

f the one I lost, and I gave no attention to it. It seems to me that no

examined

t you wear to-day the same fr

re the day I called

tton that I show you with those on your

le to escape th

our comparison with care-with all the care that y

tance of this question, but as it was set

istcoat, and compare

s really the button

e felt that his voice trembled, and that it had a h

terrible position

e did no

sieur Caffie's, it does not follow

but this is not the place. I have only one more question

st one I ca

ewed i

d

it of sewing on you

nor by the form in which he made it, Florentin saw the stren

mes," h

mother, you told me. Was there any reason wh

t ask her

ng it, did she not take th

d not s

hy

pied preparin

s suffi

nt, where I have slept since my re

cation between the k

or was

h seemed to follow these answers, but he kept them back. He saw himself caug

est to say nothing, and he was silent a long time, o

rapidly, and he heard only a monotonous murmur th

l now be read to yo

st the thread of it. The impression it made upon him, however, was

resence of the charges which emanate from your t

ved this blow w

; I therefore spare you them. But I have a favor to ask of you; it is to permit me to write to

may,