At this I could no longer restrain myself, but exclaimed: "Oh, indeed! Do you imagine I shall let you dispose of her like that,
without defending her?"
"No, of course, I know all this.--And that's the very point upon which I
consulted a counsel; but, according to what he has advised me, I should
like to ask what authority you can claim over my daughter? What rights
can you set up against mine?"
"Well, I should like to remind you also that I can ruin your comfortable
expectations by killing Count Kiusko," I said, quite beside myself with
rage.
"If so it is written!" she rejoined in a calm voice.
Exasperated by her fatalistic imperturbability, I felt moved by some
furious and violent impulse. I got up from my chair to calm myself. I
could see that for two months past I had been duped by this woman, who
had been pursuing with avidity a vision of unexpected fortune, and that
nothing could now divert her from this pursuit. I felt myself caught in
their abominable toils.
Sitting motionless on her divan, with her hands folded over her knees,
she regarded me in silence.
"Well!" I said, coming close to her again, "I can see that your maternal
solicitude is all a question of money. For what sum will you sell me
your daughter a second time, and go back to live by yourself in the
East?"
She hesitated a moment, and then she said: "I will tell you in a week's time."
By her deceitful looks I judged that she still placed some hope in
Kiusko, and that she probably wished to wait until she could make sure
about it, one way or the other--but from motives of discretion I held my
tongue, and took leave of her.