A voice close to his ear aroused him from his reflections: it was that of Daumon, who had come up unperceived.
"Was the girl's information correct, Count ?" asked he.

"How are the Duke and M.Norbert, for of course you have seen them both ?" "M.

Norbert is too much agitated by the sad event to see any one." "Of course that was to be looked for," returned the wily Counsellor; "for the seizure was terribly sudden." M.de Puymandour was too much occupied with his own thoughts to spare much pity for Norbert.

He would have given a great deal to have known what the young man was doing, and especially what he was thinking of at the present moment.
The poor lad was standing by the bedside of his dying father, watching eagerly for some indication, however slight, of returning life or reason.

The hours of horror and self-reproach had entirely changed his feelings and ideas; for it was only at the instant when he saw his father raise the poisoned wine to his lips that he saw his crime in all its hideous enormity.