It was very hard even to make a pretence of swallowing a little food, when all three knew the truth, and none dared to refer to it in any way lest the servants should guess at what was taking place.

They spent a terribly uncomfortable hour in one another's society.

The two men exchanged indifferent remarks.

Matilde occasionally said something, but her mind ran constantly on absurd details, such as the incident of the hiding of the will.

As soon as her husband had left her, she had taken it from the drawer, relocking the latter, and again placing the key under the carpet.