ad anticipated the annoyance;
although it certainly never had occurred to him that his father would
carry candor, or rather rudeness, so far as to relate such a history.
And in justice to Villefort, it must be understood that M. Noirtier,
who never cared for the opinion of his son on any subject, had always
omitted to explain the affair to Villefort, so that he had all his life
entertained the belief that General de Quesnel, or the Baron d'Epinay,
as he was alternately styled, according as the speaker wished to
identify him by his own family name, or by the title which had been
conferred on him, fell the victim of assassination, and not that he was
killed fairly in a duel. This harsh letter, coming as it did from a man
generally so polite and respectful, struck a mortal blow at the pride
of Villefort. Hardly had he read the letter, when his wife entered. The
sudden departure of Franz, after being summoned by M. Noirtier, had so
much astonished every one, that the position of Madame de Villefort,
left alone with the notary and the witnesses, became every moment more
embarrassing. Determined to bear it no longer, she arose and left the
room; saying she would go and make some inquiries into the cause of his
sudden disappearance.

M. de Villefort's communications on the subject were very limited and
concise; he told her, in fact, that an explanation had taken place
between M. Noirtier, M. d'Epinay, and himself, and that the marriage
of Valentine and Franz would consequently be broken off. This was
an awkward and unpleasant thing to have to report to those who were
awaiting her return in the chamber of her father-in-law. She
therefore contented herself with saying that M. Noirtier having at the
commencement of the discussion been attacked by a sort of apoplectic
fit, the affair would necessarily be deferred for some days longer. This
news, false as it was following so singularly in the train of the two
similar misfortunes which had so recently occurred, evidently astonished
the auditors, and they retired without a word. During this time
Valentine, at once terrified and happy, after having embraced and
thanked the feeble old man for thus breaking with a single blow the
chain which she had been accustomed to consider as irrefragable, asked
leave to retire to her own room, in order to recover her composure.
Noirtier looked the permission which she solicited. But instead of going
to her own room, Valentine, having once gained he