She says monsieur is a
Prussian spy and a fortune-hunter, and is simply preying upon
madame. And she calls monsieur something still worse, which I would
not like to repeat. It is a shame, for monsieur has never done her
any harm, and it would not be quite so bad if she only let out her
vile temper before us, but she slanders monsieur to outsiders and
gives him a dreadfully bad name."
"I am sorry that you should retail such gossip to me," said Wilhelm,
making a great effort to appear unmoved.
"I considered it my duty, as an honest man. I am not saying more
than the truth about the maid, and am perfectly ready to repeat it
all to her face. Madame la Comtesse is really wrong in keeping the
viper. There are plenty of respectable and handy young women who
would think themselves lucky to be taken into madame's service. I
have a cousin, for instance, who has been in the best houses--Anne
couldn't hold a candle to her; if monsieur would recommend her to
Madame la Comtesse--"
"I can do nothing in the matter," said Wilhelm brusquely.
He turned his back upon the man and absorbed himself pointedly in
his books. Auguste stood a moment, but seeing that Wilhelm would
take no further notice of him, shrugged his shoulders and left the
room.
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