Since yesterday he had been searching for him in order to inform him that the Countess Sabine, in a supreme fit of moral aberration, had but now taken flight with the manager of one of the departments in a large, fancy emporium.

It was a fearful scandal, and all Paris was already talking about it.

Seeing him under the influence of such religious exaltation, Venot felt the opportunity to be favorable and at once told him of the meanly tragic shipwreck of his house.

The count was not touched thereby.

His wife had gone?
That meant nothing to him; they would see what would happen later on.