You have lived with her alone for four or five months; that is quite enough.

Shut your eyes now; that is all that any one asks of you.

At the end of a fortnight she will take the Comte de N., and she will save up during the winter, and next summer you will begin over again.

That is how things are done, my dear fellow!" And Prudence appeared to be enchanted with her advice, which I refused indignantly.
Not only my love and my dignity would not let me act thus, but I was certain that, feeling as she did now, Marguerite would die rather than accept another lover.
"Enough joking," I said to Prudence; "tell me exactly how much Marguerite is in need of." "I have told you: thirty thousand francs." "And when does she require this sum ?" "Before the end of two months." "She shall have it." Prudence shrugged her shoulders.
"I will give it to you," I continued, "but you must swear to me that you will not tell Marguerite that I have given it to you." "Don't be afraid." "And if she sends you anything else to sell or pawn, let me know." "There is no danger.

She has nothing left." I went straight to my own house to see if there were any letters from my father.