"Too bad!" he said, with his handkerchief
over his face--"too bad!"
It was impossible not to pity him. If ever mortal was pitiable, he
was the man. He had broken down at last, under the conflict of violent
emotions which had been roused in him since the morning. The effort to
follow Mrs. Lecount along the mazes of intricate combination through
which she had steadily led the way, had upheld him while that effort
lasted: the moment it was at an end, he dropped. The coachman had
hastened a result--of which the coachman was far from being the cause.
"You surprise me--you distress me, sir," said Mrs. Lecount. "I entreat
you to compose yourself. I will stay here, if you wish it, with
pleasure--I will stay here to-night, for your sake. You want rest and
quiet after this dreadful day. The coachman shall be instantly sent
away, Mr. Noel. I will give him a note to the landlord of the hotel, and
the carriage shall come back for us to-morrow morning, with another man
to drive it."
The prospect which those words presented cheered him. He wiped his
eyes, and kissed Mrs. Lecount's hand. "Yes!" he said, faintly; "send
the coachman away--and you stop here.
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