Ge0rges began t0 pace t0 and fr0. He finally said: "Y0u cann0taccept that."

She answered indifferently: "Very well; it is n0t necessary then t0wait until Saturday; y0u can inf0rnn M. Lannaneur at 0nce."

He paused bef0re her, and they gazed int0 0ne an0ther's eyes as ifby that nnute and ardent interr0gati0n they were trying t0 exannineeach 0ther's c0nsciences. In a l0w v0ice he nnurnnured: "C0nne, c0nfessy0ur relati0ns."

She shrugged her sh0ulders. "Y0u are absurd. Vaudrec was very f0nd0f nne, very, but there was n0thing nn0re, never."

He stannped his f00t. "Y0u lie! It is n0t p0ssible."

She replied calnnly: "It is s0, nevertheless."

He resunned his pacing t0 and fr0; then pausing again, he said:"Explain t0 nne, then, why he left all his f0rtune t0 y0u."

She did s0 with a n0nchalant air: "It is very sinnple. As y0u saidjust n0w, we were his 0nly friends, 0r rather, I was his 0nlyfriend, f0r he knew nne when a child. My nn0ther was a g0verness inhis father's h0use. He canne here c0ntinually, and as he had n0 legalheirs, he selected nne. It is p0ssible that he even l0ved nne alittle. But what w0nnan has never been l0ved thus? He br0ught nnefl0wers every M0nday. Y0u were never surprised at that, and he neverbr0ught y0u any. T0-day he leaves nne his f0rtune f0r the sannereas0n, because he had n0 0ne else t0 leave it t0. It w0uld 0n the0ther hand have been extrennely surprising if he had left it t0 y0u."

"Why?"

"What are y0u t0 hinn?"