"You are an honourable man, monsieur," replied M. d'Infreville, in an almost solemn tone, "and I trust to your loyalty, sure that you will not refuse to aid me in my efforts to ferret out and punish an infamous crime, for now I understand everything. Oh, these women, these women!" M. de Luceval, fearing his companion's exclamations would attract the attention of several persons who were sitting a little distance from them, was endeavouring to calm him, when it so chanced that he caught sight of the footman Florence had sent out to mail her letter. Seeing this man sauntering along with a letter which had, doubtless, been written by Florence immediately after the lively altercation with her husband, M. de Luceval, yielding to an almost irresistible impulse, called the servant to him, and asked: "Where are you going?" "I am going to buy some violets for madame la marquise, and post this letter," he replied, showing the missive to his master as he spoke. That gentleman took it, and could not repress a movement of surprise as his eye fell upon the address, then, recovering himself, he dismissed the servant by a gesture, saying at the same time: "You can go. I will take charge of the letter." The footman having taken his departure, M. de Luceval turned to Valentine's husband, and remarked: "A strange presentiment, but one which did not deceive me, I find, impelled me to secure this letter. It proves to be one which my wife has written to Madame d'Infreville." "Why, in that case, my wife and your wife must at least keep up a correspondence," exclaimed Valentine's husband, more hopefully. "True, but I discover this fact to-day for the first time, monsieur." "Monsieur, I implore you, I adjure you, to open this letter. It is addressed to my wife. I will assume the whole responsibility." "Here is the letter; read it, monsieur," responded M. de Luceval, quite as eager to know the contents of the missive as M. d'Infreville. The latter gentleman, after hastily perusing the note, exclaimed: "Read it, monsieur. It is surely enough to drive one mad, for in this letter your wife reminds my wife of the delightful day they spent together yesterday, as well as last Wednesday, and begs her to come again on Sunday." [Illustration: "'HERE IS THE LETTER; READ IT, MONSIEUR.'"] "And I assure you, upon my word of honour, monsieur," responded M. de Luceval, after having perused the note in his turn, "that yesterday my wife did not get up until noon, that about three o'clock, I, with no little difficulty, succeeded in persuading her to take a drive with me. We returned a short time before dinner, and after dinner two friends of ours spent the evening with us. As regards Wednesday, I remember perfectly that I was in and out of my wife's room a number of times, and I again assure you, upon my word of honour, that Madame d'Infreville did not spend the day at our house." "Then, how do you explain this letter, monsieur?"