But let us suppose even that. He will
then call Madame Gerdy."
"Oh, I will answer for her!" cried the count, "her interests are the
same as ours. If necessary, I will see her. Yes," he added with an
effort, "I will call on her, I will speak to her; and I will guarantee
that she will not betray us."
"And Claudine," continued the young man; "will she be silent, too?"
"For money, yes; and I will give her whatever she asks."
"And you would trust, father, to a paid silence, as if one could ever
be sure of a purchased conscience? What is sold to you may be sold to
another. A certain sum may close her mouth; a larger will open it."
"I will frighten her."
"You forget, father, that Claudine Lerouge was Noel Gerdy's nurse, that
she takes an interest in his happiness, that she loves him. How do you
know that he has not already secured her aid? She lives at Bougival. I
went there, I remember, with you. No doubt, he sees her often; perhaps
it is she who put him on the track of this correspondence. He spoke to
me of her, as though he were sure of her testimony. He almost proposed
my going to her for information."
"Alas!" cried the count, "why is not Claudine dead instead of my
faithful Germain?"
"You see, sir," concluded Albert, "Claudine Lerouge would alone render
all your efforts useless.
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