His wife was about to leave him, and would he succeed in keeping his son?
He had returned to be avenged, and he had not even succeeded in meeting his rival.

That being so impressionable had experienced, in the face of so many repeated blows, a disappointment so absolute that he gladly looked forward to the prospect of exposing himself to death on the following day, while at the same time a bitter flood of rancor possessed him at the thought of all the persons concerned in his adventure.

He would have liked to crush Madame Steno and Maitland, Lydia and Florent--Dorsenne, too--for having given him the false word of honor, which had strengthened still more his thirst for vengeance by calming it for a few hours.
His confusion of thoughts was only greater when he was seated alone with his son at dinner.

That morning he had seen before him his wife's smiling face.

The absence of her whom at that moment he valued above all else was so sad to him that he ventured one last attempt, and after the meal he sent little Luc to see if his mother would receive him.