, and to her deeds of gift of such of her
husband's property as is not included in the entail, to the diamonds now
settled upon her, and to her profits and savings from the common fund."

The effect of Maitre Mathias's astute and far-sighted policy were now
plainly seen.

"My daughter is ruined," said Madame Evangelista in a low voice.

The old and the young notary both overheard the words.

"Is it ruin," replied Mathias, speaking gently, "to constitute for her
family an indestructible fortune?"

The younger notary, seeing the expression of his client's face, thought
it judicious in him to state the disaster in plain terms.

"We tried to trick them out of three hundred thousand francs," he
whispered to the angry woman. "They have actually laid hold of eight
hundred thousand; it is a loss of four hundred thousand from our
interests for the benefit of the children. You must now either break the
marriage off at once, or carry it through," concluded Solonet.

It is impossible to describe the moment of silence that followed. Maitre
Mathias waited in triumph the signature of the two persons who had
expected to rob his client. Natalie, not competent to understand that
she had lost half her fortune, and Paul, ignorant that the house of
Manerville had gained it, were laughing and chattering still. Solonet
and Madame Evangelista gazed at each other; the one endeavoring to
conceal his indifference, the other repressing the rush of a crowd of
bitter feelings.

After suffering in her own mind the struggles of remorse, after blaming
Paul as the cause of her dishonesty, Madame Evangelista had decided to
employ those shameful manoeuvres to cast on him the burden of her own
unfaithful guardianship, considering him her victim. But now, in a
moment, she perceived that where she thought she triumphed she was about
to perish, and her victim was her own daughter. Guilty without profit,
she saw herself the dupe of an honorable old man, whose respect she had
doubtless lost. Her secret conduct must have inspired the stipulation
of old Mathias; and Mathias must have enlightened Paul. Horrible
reflection! Even if he had not yet done so, as soon as that contract was
signed the old wolf would surely warn his client of the dangers he
had run and had now escaped, were it only to receive the praise of his
sagacity. He would put him on his guard against the wily woman who had
lowered herself to this conspiracy; he would destroy the empire she