"Perhaps I ought to share your misgivings, monsieur, but I do not. I still doubt the justice of your suspicions, for if I believed that Michel had forgotten me, I certainly should not make any effort to see him again. But permit me to remind you, monsieur, that both Florence and Michel are free, perfectly free. Is she not legally divorced from you? What right have you to interfere with her actions?" "The right of revenge." "And what good will this revenge do you? If they love each other, persecution will only increase their love, without improving your chances in the least! No, no, you are too generous to wish to return evil for evil." "But I have suffered so much, madame." "I, too, have suffered, and perhaps even greater trials are in store for me; yet I would rather die than mar Michel's and Florence's happiness, if I knew for a certainty that they were happy." "I cannot boast of an equal amount of resignation, madame. If I find that they love each other I will kill this man or he will kill me!" "If I thought you capable of persisting in this resolve, I tell you frankly that I should immediately warn Florence and Michel of the danger that threatens them." "You are wonderfully generous, madame!" retorted M. de Luceval, bitterly. "And you, too, are generous, monsieur, when your resentment does not get the upper hand of you. Yes, you, too, are generous. I need no other proof than the touching solicitude which you manifested for Florence's welfare before your departure from France." "That was a lamentable display of weakness on my part. Things are very different now." "All I can say, monsieur, is that if you hope to find in me an accomplice in the perpetration of a futile and wicked act of vengeance, we will end this interview here and now. If, on the contrary, you are desirous of discovering the truth in order that you may know whether you have or have not any reason to hope, you can count upon me, for, by aiding each other, we are almost certain to discover the truth with very little delay." "And if the truth should prove to be that they love each other--" "Before we go any further, monsieur, give me your word as a man of honour that, however painful the discovery may prove to be, you will renounce all idea of vengeance and even of seeing Florence again." "Never, madame, never!" "So be it, monsieur," said Valentine, rising. "In that case we will proceed, henceforth, entirely independent of each other--" "But, madame--" "You are perfectly free, of course, to act as you see fit in the matter--" "But pray, madame--" "It is useless to say any more on the subject, monsieur." CHAPTER XV. TIDINGS FROM FLORENCE. Monsieur de Luceval was silent for a moment. A fierce struggle between jealousy, his natural curiosity, and his fear that Madame d'Infreville might warn Florence as she had threatened, was going on in his breast. At last his better nature, aided a little perhaps by this last consideration, triumphed, and he replied: