madame. We
shall live as you have willed it."

Claire simply bent her head in assent. Philippe gave her a last glance,
hoping for some softening; but she remained inert and frigid. He slowly
opened the door, and closed it, pausing again to listen if a cry or a
sigh would give him--wounded as he was--a pretext for returning and
offering to forgive. But all was silent.

"Proud creature," said he. "You refuse to bend, but I will break you."

The next morning Claire was found insensible, and for months she lay
ill, nursed by Philippe with silent devotion. From that time forth his
manner did not change. Gentle and most attentive to Claire in the
presence of strangers, he was cold, grave, and strictly polite when they
were alone.

_IV.--The Lover's Reward_

In the first expansion of her return to life she had decided she would
be amiable, and frankly grant her friendship to Philippe, but saw, to
her mortification, she was disposed to grant more than was asked of her.
When he handed her "the income of her fortune, for six months," she
became in a moment the proud Claire of other times, and refused to take
it. Their eyes met; she relapsed, conquered. He it was she loved now.
She constantly looked at him, and did whatever she thought would please
him. She learnt with surprise that her husband was on the high road to
becoming one of the princes of industry--that great power of the
century. And when she learnt, accidentally from her brother, that she
herself had had no dowry, she said, "I must win him back, or I shall
die!"

The Duc and Duchess de Bligny arrived at La Varenne. La Varenne became
the scene of numerous fetes, but Claire excused herself from attending
on the ground that she was not yet well enough to sit up late. Athenais'
anticipated pleasure was all lost, since she could not crush her rival
with her magnificence. In her jealous rage she began to devote
particular attention to Monsieur Derblay. At last, Claire judged the cup
was full, and on her fete day, encouraged for the first time by her
husband's glances, called Athenais aside and entreated her to stay away
from their home for a time, at least. Athenais, pale with rage, replied
insultingly, and Claire summoned the duke to take his wife away if he did
not wish her to be turned out in presence of everyone.

With perfect composure Bligny asked Philippe if he approved of what
Madame Derblay had done. In a grave voice, the ironmaster answered,
"Monsieur