suffered so deeply！ His life till then so upright； so pure； was
becoming crafty； he was to scheme and lie。 Clemence was scheming and
lying。 This to him was a moment of horrible disgust。 Lost in a flood
of bitter feelings； Jules stood motionless at the door of his house。
Yielding to despair； he thought of fleeing； of leaving France forever；
carrying with him the illusions of uncertainty。 Then； again； not
doubting that the letter Clemence had just posted was addressed to
Ferragus； his mind searched for a means of obtaining the answer that
mysterious being was certain to send。 Then his thoughts began to
analyze the singular good fortune of his life since his marriage； and
he asked himself whether the calumny for which he had taken such
signal vengeance was not a truth。 Finally； reverting to the coming
answer； he said to himself：
〃But this man； so profoundly capable； so logical in his every act； who
sees and foresees； who calculates； and even divines； our very
thoughts； is he likely to make an answer？ Will he not employ some
other means more in keeping with his power？ He may send his answer by
some beggar； or in a carton brought by an honest man； who does not
suspect what he brings； or in some parcel of shoes； which a shop…girl
may innocently deliver to my wife。 If Clemence and he have agreed upon
such means〃
He distrusted all things； his mind ran over vast tracts and shoreless
oceans of conjecture。 Then； after floating for a time among a thousand
contradictory ideas； he felt he was strongest in his own house； and he
resolved to watch it as the ant…lion watches his sandy labyrinth。
〃Fouguereau；〃 he said to the porter； 〃I am not at home to any one who
comes to see me。 If any one calls to see madame； or brings her
anything； ring twice。 Bring all letters addressed here to me； no
matter for whom they are intended。〃
〃Thus；〃 thought he； as he entered his study； which was in the
entresol； 〃I forestall the schemes of this Ferragus。 If he sends some
one to ask for me so as to find out if Clemence is alone； at least I
shall not be tricked like a fool。〃
He stood by the window of his study； which looked upon the street； and
then a final scheme； inspired by jealousy； came into his mind。 He
resolved to send his head…clerk in his own carriage to the Bourse with
a letter to another broker； explaining his sales and purchases and
requesting him to do his business for that day。 He postponed his more
delicate transactions till the morrow； indifferent to the fall or rise
of stocks or the debts of all Europe。 High privilege of love！it
crushes all things； all interests fall before it： altar； throne；
consols！
At half…past three； just the hour at which the Bourse is in full blast
of reports； monthly settlements； premiums； etc。； Fouguereau entered
the study； quite radiant with his news。
〃Monsieur； an old woman has come； but very cautiously； I think she's a
sly one。 She asked for monsieur； and seemed much annoyed when I told
her he was out； then she gave me a letter for madame； and here it is。〃
Fevered with anxiety； Jules opened the letter； then he dropped into a
chair； exhausted。 The letter was mere nonsense throughout； and needed
a key。 It was virtually in cipher。
〃Go away； Fouguereau。〃 The porter left him。 〃It is a mystery deeper
than the sea below the plummet line！ Ah！ it must be love； love only is
so sagacious； so inventive as this。 Ah！ I shall kill her。〃
At this moment an idea flashed through his brain with such force that
he felt almost physically illuminated by it。 In the days of his
toilsome poverty before his marriage； Jules had made for himself a
true friend。 The extreme delicacy with which he had managed the
susceptibilities of a man both poor and modest； the respect with which
he had surrounded him； the ingenious cleverness he had employed to
nobly compel him to share his opulence without permitting it to make
him blush； increased their friendship。 Jacquet continued faithful to
Desmarets in spite of his wealth。
Jacquet； a nobly upright man； a toiler； austere in his morals； had
slowly made his way in that particular ministry which develops both
honesty and knavery at the same time。 A clerk in the ministry of
Foreign Affairs； he had charge of the most delicate division of its
archives。 Jacquet in that office was like a glow…worm； casting his
light upon those secret correspondences； deciphering and classifying
despatches。 Ranking higher than a mere /bourgeois/； his position at
the ministry was superior to that of the other subalterns。 He lived
obscurely； glad to feel that such obscurity sheltered him from
reverses and disappointments； and was satisfied to humbly pay in the
lowest coin his debt to the country。 Thanks to Jules； his position had
been much ameliorated by a worthy marriage。 An unrecognized patriot； a
minister in actual fact； he contented himself with groaning in his
chimney…corner at the course of the government。 In his own home；
Jacquet was an easy…going king；an umbrella…man； as they say； who
hired a carriage for his wife which he never entered himself。 In
short； to end this sketch of a philosopher unknown to himself； he had
never suspected and never in all his life would suspect the advantages
he might have drawn from his position；that of having for his
intimate friend a broker； and of knowing every morning all the secrets
of the State。 This man； sublime after the manner of that nameless
soldier who died in saving Napoleon by a 〃qui vive；〃 lived at the
ministry。
In ten minutes Jules was in his friend's office。 Jacquet gave him a
chair； laid aside methodically his green silk eye…shade； rubbed his
hands； picked up his snuff…box； rose； stretched himself till his
shoulder…blades cracked； swelled out his chest； and said：
〃What brings you here； Monsieur Desmarets？ What do you want with me？〃
〃Jacquet； I want you to decipher a secret；a secret of life and
death。〃
〃It doesn't concern politics？〃
〃If it did； I shouldn't come to you for information；〃 said Jules。 〃No；
it is a family matter； about which I require you to be absolutely
silent。〃
〃Claude…Joseph Jacquet； dumb by profession。 Don't you know me by this
time？〃 he said； laughing。 〃Discretion is my lot。〃
Jules showed him the letter。
〃You must read me this letter； addressed to my wife。〃
〃The deuce！ the deuce！ a bad business！〃 said Jacquet； examining the
letter as a usurer examines a note to be negotiated。 〃Ha！ that's a
gridiron letter！ Wait a minute。〃
He left Jules alone for a moment； but returned immediately。
〃Easy enough to read； my friend！ It is written on the gridiron plan；
used by the Portuguese minister under Monsieur de Choiseul； at the
time of the dismissal of the Jesuits。 Here； see！〃
Jacquet placed upon the writing a piece of paper cut out in regular
squares； like the paper laces which confectioners wrap round their
sugarplums； and Jules then read with perfect ease the words that were
visible in the interstices。 They were as follows：
〃Don't be uneasy； my dear Clemence； our happiness cannot again be
troubled； and your husband will soon lay aside his suspicions。
However ill you may be； you must have the courage to come here
to…morrow； find strength in your love for me。 Mine for you has
induced me to submit to a cruel operation； and I cannot leave my
bed。 I have had the actual cautery applied to my back； and it was
necessary to burn it in a long time； you understand me？ But I
thought of you； and I did not suffer。
〃To baffle Maulincour （who will not persecute us much longer）； I
have left the protecting roof of the embassy； and am now safe from
all inquiry in the rue des Enfants…Rouges； number 12； with an old
woman； Madame Etienne Gruget； mother of that Ida； who shall pay
dear for her folly。 Come to…morrow； at nine in the morning。 I am
in a room which is reached only by an interior staircase。 Ask for
Monsieur Camuset。 Adieu； I kiss your forehead； my darling。〃
Jacquet looked at Jules with a sort of honest terror； the sign of a
true compassion； as he made his favorite exclamation in two separate
and distinct tones；
〃The deuce！ the deuce！〃
〃That seems clear to you； doesn't it？〃 said Jules。 〃Well； in the
depths of my heart there is a voice that pleads for my wife； and makes
itself heard above the pangs of jealousy。 I must endure the worst of
all agony until to…morrow； but to…morrow； between nine and ten I shall
know all； I shall be happy or wretched for all my life。 Think of me
then； Jacquet。〃
〃I shall be at your house to…morrow at eight o'clock。 We will go
together； I'll wait for you； if you like； in the street。 You may run
some danger； and you ought to have near you some devoted person who'll
understand a mere sign； and whom you can safely trust。 Count on me。〃
〃Even to help me in killing some one？〃
〃The deuce！ the deuce！〃 said Jacquet； repeating； as it were； the same
musical note。 〃I have two children and a wife。〃
Jules pressed his friend's hand and went away； but returned
immediately。
〃I forgot the letter；〃 he said。 〃But that's not all； I must reseal
it。〃
〃The deuce！ the deuce！ you opened it without saving the seal； however；
it is still possible to restore it。 Leave it with me and I'll bring it
to you /secundum scripturam/。〃
〃At what time？〃
〃Half…past five。〃
〃If I am not yet in； give it to the porter and tell him to send it up
to madame。〃
〃Do you want me to…morrow？〃
〃No。 Adieu。〃
Jules drove at once to the place de la Rotonde du Temple； where he
left his cabriolet and went on foot to the rue des Enfants…Rouges。 He
found the house of Madame Etienne Gruget and examined it。 There； the
mystery on which depended the fate of so many persons would be cleared
up； there； at this moment； was Ferragus； and to Ferragus all the
threads of this strange plot led。 The Gordian knot of the drama；
already so bloody； was surely in a meeting between Madame Jules； her
husband； and that man； and a blade able to cut the closest of such
knots would not be wanting。
The house was one of those which belong to the class called
/cabajoutis/。 This significant name is given by the populace of Paris
to houses which are built； as it were； piecemeal。 They are nearly