The dogs were beginning to collect--the dogs that are ever in readiness to fall on the stricken lion.
I marvelled to discover how little the Vicomte interested himself in politics.

One other discovery only did I make respecting my patron; I found that he loved money.
My conscience, as I have said, was busy at this time, and the burden of my deception began to weigh upon my mind as if I had been a mere schoolboy, and no man of the world.

I might, however, have borne the burden easily enough if chance had not favoured the right.
I was one morning writing in Monsieur de Clericy's study, when the door was impetuously thrown open and Lucille came running in.

"Ah!" she said, stopping, "only you." "That is all, Mademoiselle." She was turning to go when on an impulse of the moment I called to her.
"Mademoiselle!" She turned and slowly came back.

With a little laugh she stood in front of me seated at the great table.