Caroline returned at last and everybody crowded about her. “The lady is a little better,” she said, “but really I am afraid that all the waters of Mont-d’Or will not restore her health.” “I say, I can guess what caused that second fainting fit,” said the young man who had mentioned Eugénie before. “Poor Madame Blémont! That is the lady’s name----” “Yes, I remember that the landlady called her so. Well! you were saying that the lady----” “She was very unfortunate in her marriage; her husband left her, deserted her; she probably thought of all that, when she heard something about a husband bringing a suit against his wife.” “What, monsieur!” said Caroline; “that lady has been deserted by her husband?” “Yes, mademoiselle; I have seen her several times at parties in Paris. I recognized her at once, although she is greatly changed.” “And her husband?” “I did not know him; it seems that he was a monster! a gambler, dissipated and jealous--all the vices, in short; he left his poor little wife with two children on her hands, a boy and a girl.” “Oh! mon Dieu! There are some shameless men! That young woman has such a sweet and amiable manner! Certainly she is well adapted to make any man happy who is able to appreciate her! and perhaps she still loves him; for we are so soft-hearted, we cannot hate you, even when you most deserve it! Uncle, I certainly shall never marry.” Having said this, Caroline looked at me as if to read in my eyes what I thought about it. But I looked away and did not say a word. Everybody prepared to retire. We bowed to one another and said good-night. Suddenly I felt a hand on my arm; it was Caroline, who said to me with an offended air: “So it seems that I must wish you good-night this evening, monsieur! You can certainly flatter yourself that you have made yourself very unpleasant!” That reproach brought me to my senses; I reflected that I proposed to go away before dawn, and that perhaps this was the last time that I should see Mademoiselle Derbin; so I stepped forward to take her hand; but she drew it back, saying in an offhand tone: “I do not forgive so quickly; to-morrow we will see whether you deserve that I should make peace with you.”