With a strong resolve he had fixed his mind upon the affairs of his house, and had allowed himself to meditate as little as might be possible.

But the misery, the agony, had been then present with him during all those hours,--and had been made the sharper by his endeavours to keep it down and banish it from his thoughts.

Now, as he went out from Madame Faragon's room, having finished all that it was his duty to do, he strolled into the town, and at once began to give way to his thoughts.

Of course he must think about it.

He acknowledged that it was useless for him to attempt to get rid of the matter and let it be as though there were no such persons in the world as Marie Bromar and Adrian Urmand.