And, in addition, I am engaged
for the whole afternoon. Well, although the wedding is fixed for a
quarter-past eleven, I did not hesitate, but drove here before going to
the church. And naturally I went upstairs alone. My daughters have been
waiting in the carriage. We shall no doubt be a little late for the
wedding. But no matter! You will see the poor parents in their empty
house, near the body, which, I must say, they have laid out very nicely
on the bed. Oh! it is heartrending."
Mathieu was looking at her, surprised to see that she did not age. The
fiery flame of her wild life seemed to scorch and preserve her. He knew
that her home was now completely wrecked. Seguin openly lived with Nora,
the governess, for whom he had furnished a little house. It was there
even that he had given Mathieu an appointment to sign the final transfer
of the Chantebled property. And since Gaston had entered the military
college of St. Cyr, Valentine had only her two daughters with her in the
spacious, luxurious mansion of the Avenue d'Antin, which ruin was slowly
destroying.
"I think," resumed Madame Seguin, "that I shall tell Gaston to obtain
permission to attend the funeral.
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