He would have been much more likely to have supposed her desirous of removing every trace, even the slightest, of what had taken place.
Was it not her son who had received the benefits of the deed, who had usurped another's name and fortune?
When eight years after, believing her to be unfaithful, the count had put an end to the connection which had given him so much happiness he thought of obtaining possession of this unhappy correspondence.

But he knew not how to do so.

A thousand reasons prevented his moving in the matter.
The principal one was, that he did not wish to see this woman, once so dearly loved.

He did not feel sufficiently sure either of his anger or of his firmness.

Could he, without yielding, resist the tearful pleading of those eyes, which had so long held complete sway over him?
To look again upon this mistress of his youth would, he feared, result in his forgiving her; and he had been too cruelly wounded in his pride and in his affection to admit the idea of a reconciliation.
On the other hand, to obtain the letters though a third party was entirely out of the question.