It was the collapse of all family life, with the threat of a great
disaster in the future; and Santerre lived there in the midst of it,
helping on the work of destruction.
He gave a cry of rapture when Valentine at last made her appearance
gowned in a delicious travelling dress, with a cavalier toque on her
head. But she was not quite ready, for she darted off again, saying that
she would be at their service as soon as she had seen her little Andree,
and given her last orders to the nurse.
"Well, make haste," cried her husband. "You are quite unbearable, you are
never ready."
It was at this moment that Mathieu called, and Seguin received him in
order to express his regret that he could not that day go into business
matters with him. Nevertheless, before fixing another appointment, he was
willing to take note of certain conditions which the other wished to
stipulate for the purpose of reserving to himself the exclusive right of
purchasing the remainder of the Chantebled estate in portions and at
fixed dates. Seguin was promising that he would carefully study this
proposal when he was cut short by a sudden tumult--distant shouts, wild
hurrying to and fro, and a violent banging of doors.
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