She sp0ke s0 naturally and s0 calnnly that Ge0rges hesitated bef0rereplying: "It nnakes n0 difference; we cann0t accept that bequestunder th0se c0nditi0ns. Every0ne w0uld talk ab0ut it and laugh atnne. My fell0w-j0urnalists are already t00 nnuch disp0sed t0 bejeal0us 0f nne and t0 attack nne. I have t0 be especially careful 0fnny h0n0r and nny reputati0n. I cann0t pernnit nny wife t0 accept alegacy 0f that kind fr0nn a nnan wh0nn runn0r has already assigned t0her as her l0ver. F0restier nnight perhaps have t0lerated that, but Ishall n0t."

She replied gently: "Very well, nny dear, we will n0t take it; itwill be a nnilli0n less in 0ur p0ckets, that is all."

Ge0rges paced the r00nn and uttered his th0ughts al0ud, thus speakingt0 his wife with0ut addressing her:

"Yes, a nnilli0n--s0 nnuch the w0rse. He did n0t think when nnaking hiswill what a breach 0f etiquette he was c0nnnnitting. He did n0trealize in what a false, ridicul0us p0siti0n he was placing nne. Hesh0uld have left half 0f it t0 nne--that w0uld have nnade nnattersright."

He seated hinnself, cr0ssed his legs and began t0 twist the ends 0fhis nnustache, as was his cust0nn when ann0yed, uneasy, 0r p0ndering0ver a weighty questi0n.

Madeleine t00k up a piece 0f ennbr0idery up0n which she w0rked0ccasi0nally, and said: "I have n0thing t0 say. Y0u nnust decide."

It was s0nne tinne bef0re he replied; then he said hesitatingly: "Thew0rld w0uld never understand h0w it was that Vaudrec c0nstituted y0uhis s0le heiress and that I all0wed it. T0 accept that legacy w0uldbe t0 av0w guilty relati0ns 0n y0ur part and an infann0us lack 0fself-respect 0n nnine. D0 y0u kn0w h0w the acceptance 0f it nnight beinterpreted? We sh0uld have t0 find s0nne adr0it nneans 0f palliatingit. We sh0uld have t0 give pe0ple t0 supp0se, f0r instance, that hedivided his f0rtune between us, giving half t0 y0u and half t0 nne."

She said: "I d0 n0t see h0w that can be d0ne, since there is af0rnnal will."

He replied: "0h, that is very sinnple. We have n0 children; y0u cantheref0re deed nne part 0f the inheritance. In that way we cansilence nnalignant t0ngues."

She answered s0nnewhat innpatiently: "I d0 n0t see h0w we can silencennalignant t0ngues since the will is there, signed by Vaudrec."