ylvie had, however, touched the corset and felt the papers. She let
Pierrette go, saying to the company:

"What do you think now of her illness? I tell you it is all a pretence.
You have no idea of the perversity of that child."

After the card-playing was over she kept Vinet from following the other
guests; she was furious and wanted vengeance, and was grossly rude to
the colonel when he bade her good-night. Gouraud threw a look at the
lawyer which threatened him to the depths of his being and seemed to
put a ball in his entrails. Sylvie told Vinet to remain. When they were
alone, she said,--

"Never in my life, never in my born days, will I marry the colonel."

"Now that you have come to that decision I may speak," said the lawyer.
"The colonel is my friend, but I am more yours than his. Rogron has done
me services which I can never forget. I am as strong a friend as I am an
enemy. Once in the Chamber I shall rise to power, and I will make your
brother a receiver-general. Now swear to me, before I say more, that you
will never repeat what I tell you." (Sylvie made an affirmative sign.)
"In the first place, the brave colonel is a gambler--"

"Ah!" exclaimed Sylvie.

"If it had not been for the embarrassments this vice has brought upon
him, he might have been a marshal of France," continued Vinet. "He is
capable of running through your property; but he is very astute; you
cannot be sure of not having children, and you told me yourself the
risks you feared. No, if you want to marry, wait till I am in the
Chamber and then take that old Desfondrilles, who shall be made chief
justice. If you want revenge on the colonel make your brother marry
Mademoiselle de Chargeboeuf,--I can get her consent; she has two
thousand francs a year, and you will be connected with the de
Chargeboeufs as I am. Recollect what I tell you, the Chargeboeufs will
be glad to claim us for cousins some day."

"Gouraud loves Pierrette," was Sylvie's only answer.

"He is quite capable of it," said Vinet, "and capable of marrying her
after your death."

"A fine calculation!" she said.

"I tell you that man has the shrewdness of the devil. Marry your brother
and announce that you mean to remain unmarried and will leave your
property to your nephews and nieces. That will strike a blow at Gouraud
and Pierrette both! and you'll see the faces they'll make."

"Ah! that's true," cried the old maid, "I can serve them both right. She
shall go to a shop