"Why, colonel," said he, "is it such a misfortune to marry poor Rose?
She is young, she is lovely, she has many good qualities, and she would have walked straight to the end of her days but for you." Now here was another surprise for Dujardin, another mystification.
"Rose de Beaurepaire ?" said he, putting his hand to his head, as if to see whether his reason was still there.
"Yes, Rose de Beaurepaire--Rose Dujardin that ought to be, and that is to be, if you please." "One word, monsieur: is it of Rose we have been talking all this time ?" Raynal nearly lost his temper at this question, and the cold, contemptuous tone with which it was put; but he gulped down his ire.
"It is," said he.
"One question more.

Did she tell you I had--I had"-- "Why, as to that, she was in no condition to deny she had fallen, poor girl; the evidence was too strong.

She did not reveal her seducer's name; but I had not far to go for that." "One question more," said Dujardin, with a face of anguish.

"Is it Jos--is it Madame Raynal's wish I should marry her sister ?" "Why, of course," said Raynal, in all sincerity, assuming that naturally enough as a matter of course; "if you have any respect for HER feelings, look on me as her envoy in this matter." At this Camille turned sick with disgust; then rage and bitterness swelled his heart.

A furious impulse seized him to expose Josephine on the spot.