is inheritance under such
conditions. The effect would be deplorable. All the world would believe
it; all the world would gossip about it, and laugh at me. My fellow
journalists are already only too disposed to feel jealous of me and to
attack me. I should have, before anyone, a care for my honor and my
reputation. It is impossible for me to allow my wife to accept a legacy
of this kind from a man whom public report has already assigned to her
as a lover. Forestier might perhaps have tolerated it, but not me."

She murmured, mildly: "Well, dear, do not let us accept it. It will be a
million the less in our pockets, that is all."

He was still walking up and down, and began to think aloud, speaking for
his wife's benefit without addressing himself directly to her: "Yes, a
million, so much the worse. He did not understand, in making his will,
what a fault in tact, what a breach of propriety he was committing. He
did not see in what a false, a ridiculous position he would place me.
Everything is a matter of detail in this life. He should have left me
half; that would have settled everything."

He sat down, crossed his legs, and began to twist the end of his
moustache, as he did in moments of boredom, uneasiness, and difficult
reflection. Madeleine took up some embroidery at which she worked from
time to time, and said, while selecting her wools: "I have only to hold
my tongue. It is for you to reflect."

He was a long time without replying, and then said, hesitatingly: "The
world will never understand that Vaudrec made you his sole heiress, and
that I allowed it. To receive his fortune in that way would be an
acknowledgment on your part of a guilty connection, and on mine of a
shameful complaisance. Do you understand now how our acceptance of it
would be interpreted? It would be necessary to find a side issue, some
clever way of palliating matters. To let it go abroad, for instance,
that he had divided the money between us, leaving half to the husband
and half to the wife."

She observed: "I do not see how that can be done, since the will is
plain."

"Oh, it is very simple. You could leave me half the inheritance by a
deed of gift. We have no children, so it is feasible. In that way the
mouth of public malevolence would be closed."

She replied, somewhat impatiently: "I do not see any the more how the
mouth of public malevolence is to be closed, since the will is there,
signed by Vaudrec?"

He said, angrily: "Hav