offer you these three hundred and fifty
thousand francs. You will not, I am sure, refuse to accept them as a
slight souvenir. Take them: they are yours."

This generosity seemed neither to surprise nor satisfy Raoul.

"According to our agreement," he said sullenly, "I was to have more than
this."

"Of course: this is only part of your share."

"And when am I to have the rest, if you please?"

"The day I marry Madeleine, and not before, my boy. You are too valuable
an assistant to lose at present; and you know that, though I don't
mistrust you, I am not altogether sure of your sincere affection for
me."

Raoul reflected that to commit a crime, and not profit by it, would be
the height of absurdity. He had come with the intention of breaking off
all connection with Clameran; but he now determined that he would not
abandon his accomplice until he had been well paid for his services.

"Very well," he said, "I accept this on account; but remember, I will
never do another piece of work like this to-night. You can do what you
please; I shall flatly refuse."

Clameran burst into a loud laugh, and said:

"That is sensible: now that you are rich, you can afford to be honest.
Set your conscience at rest, for I promise you I will require nothing
more of you save a few trifling services. You can retire behind the
scenes now, while I appear upon the stage; my role begins."

XXI

For more than an hour after Raoul's departure, Mme. Fauvel remained in a
state of stupor bordering upon unconsciousness.

Gradually, however, she recovered her senses sufficiently to comprehend
the horrors of her present situation; and, with the faculty of thought,
that of suffering returned.

The dreadful scene in which she had taken part was still before her
affrighted vision; all the attending circumstances, unnoticed at the
time, now struck her forcibly.

She saw that she had been the dupe of a shameful conspiracy: that Raoul
had tortured her with cold-blooded cruelty, had taken advantage of her
tenderness, and had speculated upon her fright.

But had Prosper anything to do with the robbery? This Mme. Fauvel had
no way of finding out. Ah, Raoul knew how the blow would strike when he
accused Prosper. He knew that Mme. Fauvel would end by believing in the
cashier's complicity.

The unhappy woman sat and thought over every possible way in which Raoul
could find out the secret word without Prosper's knowledge. She rejected
with hor