As soon as they were
in the shop the Baronne de Fontaine pulled Emilie by the sleeve, and
pointed out to her Maximilien Longueville seated behind the desk, and
engaged in paying out the change for a gold piece to one of the
workwomen with whom he seemed to be in consultation. The "handsome
stranger" held in his hand a parcel of patterns, which left no doubt
as to his honorable profession.
Emilie felt an icy shudder, though no one perceived it. Thanks to the
good breeding of the best society, she completely concealed the rage
in her heart, and answered her sister-in-law with the words, "I knew
it," with a fulness of intonation and inimitable decision which the
most famous actress of the time might have envied her. She went
straight up to the desk. Longueville looked up, put the patterns in
his pocket with distracting coolness, bowed to Mademoiselle de
Fontaine, and came forward, looking at her keenly.
"Mademoiselle," he said to the shopgirl, who followed him, looking
very much disturbed, "I will send to settle that account; my house
deals in that way. But here," he whispered into her ear, as he gave
her a thousand-franc note, "take this--it is between ourselves.--You
will forgive me, I trust, mademoiselle," he added, turning to Emilie.
"You will kindly excuse the tyranny of business matters."
"Indeed, monsieur, it seems to me that it is no concern of mine,"
replied Mademoiselle de Fontaine, looking at him with a bold
expression of sarcastic indifference which might have made any one
believe that she now saw him for the first time.
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