Daumon was engaged in writing when the housekeeper ushered Diana into the office.

He rose to his feet, and, taking off his velvet skull cap, made a profound bow, advancing at the same time a chair for his visitor's accommodation.
Though Diana knew nothing of this man, she was not so unsophisticated as Norbert, and was not imposed upon by the air of servile obsequiousness that he assumed.

With a gesture of contempt, she declined the proffered seat, and this act made Daumon her bitter enemy.
"I have come," said she in the cold, disdainful words in which young girls of high birth address their inferiors,--"I have come to you from Widow Rouleau." "Ah! you know the poor creature then ?" "Yes, and I take a great interest in her." "You are a very kind young lady," answered the Counsellor with a sinister smile.
"The poor woman is in the most terrible distress both of mind and body.
She is confined to her bed with a fractured limb, and without any means of support." "Yes, I heard of her accident." "And yet you sent her a summons, and are ready to seize all she possesses in the world." Daumon put on an air of sympathy.
"Poor thing!" said he.

"How true it is that misfortunes never come singly!" Diana was disgusted at the man's cool effrontery.
"It seems to me," answered she, "that her last trouble is of your making." "Is it possible ?" "Why, who is it but you who are the persecutor of this poor lone creature ?" "I!" answered he in extreme astonishment; "do you really think that it is I?
Ah! mademoiselle, why do you listen to the cruel tongues of scandal-mongers?
To make a long story short, this poor woman bought barley, corn, potatoes, and three sheep from a man in the neighborhood, who gave her credit to the extent of I daresay three hundred francs.
Well, in time, the man asked--most naturally--for his money, and failing to get it, came to me.

I urged him to wait, but he would not listen to me, and vowed that if I did not do as he wished he would go to some one else.