rancs for a lady and
gentleman to be properly instructed in music and dancing are not too
much. Well, you soon become tired of singing, and you take a fancy
to study diplomacy with the minister's secretary. You understand, it
signifies nothing to me so long as you pay for your lessons out of your
own cashbox. But to-day I find you are drawing on mine, and that your
apprenticeship may cost me 700,000 francs per month. Stop there, madame,
for this cannot last. Either the diplomatist must give his lessons
gratis, and I will tolerate him, or he must never set his foot again in
my house;--do you understand, madame?"

"Oh, this is too much," cried Hermine, choking, "you are worse than
despicable."

"But," continued Danglars, "I find you did not even pause there"--

"Insults!"

"You are right; let us leave these facts alone, and reason coolly. I
have never interfered in your affairs excepting for your good; treat me
in the same way. You say you have nothing to do with my cash-box. Be
it so. Do as you like with your own, but do not fill or empty mine.
Besides, how do I know that this was not a political trick, that the
minister enraged at seeing me in the opposition, and jealous of the
popular sympathy I excite, has not concerted with M. Debray to ruin me?"

"A probable thing!"

"Why not? Who ever heard of such an occurrence as this?--a false
telegraphic despatch--it is almost impossible for wrong signals to be
made as they were in the last two telegrams. It was done on purpose for
me--I am sure of it."

"Sir," said the baroness humbly, "are you not aware that the man
employed there was dismissed, that they talked of going to law with him,
that orders were issued to arrest him and that this order would have
been put into execution if he had not escaped by flight, which proves
that he was either mad or guilty? It was a mistake."

"Yes, which made fools laugh, which caused the minister to have a
sleepless night, which has caused the minister's secretaries to blacken
several sheets of paper, but which has cost me 700,000 francs."

"But, sir," said Hermine suddenly, "if all this is, as you say, caused
by M. Debray, why, instead of going direct to him, do you come and tell
me of it? Why, to accuse the man, do you address the woman?"

"Do I know M. Debray?--do I wish to know him?--do I wish to know that he
gives advice?--do I wish to follow it?--do I speculate? No; you do all
this, not I."

"Still it seems to me, that a