White and timid she appeared.
"What do you want, Marius ?" "Now and always and above all things the sight of you, Valerie," said he, and the flushed cheek, the glittering eye, and wine-laden breath were as plain to her as they had been to Garnache, and they filled her with a deeper terror.

Nevertheless she came forth at his bidding.
"I see that you were not yet abed," said he.

"It is as well.

We must have a talk." He set a chair for her and begged her to be seated; then he perched himself on the table, his hands gripping the edges of it on either side of him, and he turned his eyes upon her.
"Valerie," he said slowly, "the Marquis de Condillac, my brother, is at La Rochette." "He is coming home!" she cried, clasping her hands and feigning surprise in word and glance.
Marius shook his head and smiled grimly.
"No," said he.

"He is not coming home.