Chapter

 1     VIII|          were reading an unfinished letter lying upon her writing-desk.~ ~
 2     XIII|            was engaged in reading a letter in a low voice.~ ~She must
 3     XIII|          but——”~ ~He pointed to the letter the young girl held in her
 4     XIII|           le Marquis, although this letter which I have just been reading
 5     XIII|        placed it, Mlle. Lacheneur’s letter and read:~ ~“‘My dear blanche—
 6     XIII|  Courtornieu suddenly folded up the letter.~ ~“You have heard it, Monsieur,”
 7     XIII|           request. She had read the letter to Martial as a test. She
 8      XVI|            throw you into prison —a letter, a word, an act capable
 9      XIX|           over the composition of a letter, he actually offered to
10      XIX|             amanuensis.~ ~“The d——d letter is not for me, but for an
11       XX|       handed the duke a copy of the letter written by Martial under
12      XXV|             Escorval entered with a letter, which she handed to Maurice.~ ~
13     XXVI|    messenger charged with bearing a letter to the baroness.~ ~Nevertheless,
14     XXVI|            Mme. d’Escorval tore the letter rather than took it from
15   XXVIII|           he did what I asked. This letter, which is now in my possession,
16   XXVIII|           and showed her the famous letter which he had dictated, and
17   XXVIII|           And you believe that this letter can be of any service?”
18   XXVIII|       listen to me. Of itself, this letter might be unimportant, but
19   XXVIII|      understood now.~ ~“Give me the letter,” she said to Chanlouineau, “
20   XXVIII|            if he does not wish this letter sent to Paris, to one of
21   XXVIII|       handing Marie-Anne the second letter:~ ~“This is for you,” he
22     XXIX|            mistaken, Monsieur; that letter was the work of the Marquis
23     XXIX|             hand for this execrable letter. Ah! if they obtain it they
24     XXIX|         father in exchange for this letter?”~ ~“The life and liberty
25      XXX|             these few lines was the letter M.~ ~But the baron did not
26      XXX|           his breast; he raised the letter that promised him life and
27      XXX|            Mademoiselle Lacheneur a letter of mine, so compromising
28      XXX|           him.~ ~“And this terrible letter?” he groaned.~ ~“Marie-Anne
29      XXX|          baron will escape, or this letter will be taken to the Duc
30      XXX|             will give you back your letter?”~ ~“Most assuredly.”~ ~“
31      XXX|           simple reason. I have the letter now in my pocket. The abbe
32      XXX|         madness! Burn this accursed letter by the flames of this lantern,
33      XXX|             mind.~ ~What could this letter have contained? Why had
34    XXXII|       Martial will be afraid of the letter,” he said to himself, again
35    XXXII|          she had not possessed this letter.~ ~Other influences had
36    XXXII| Chanlouineau was in despair.~ ~“The letter was useless!” he murmured.~ ~
37    XXXII|           you have the compromising letter, have you not?”~ ~But Martial’
38    XXXII|          knowing whether or not his letter had availed, he counted
39    XXXIV|            from his pocket a folded letter.~ ~“I am to give you this
40    XXXIV|           seal. He glanced over the letter, turned as pale as death,
41    XXXIV|         reappeared, holding an open letter in one hand and leading
42    XXXIV|      fireplace, and handing him the letter:~ ~“Read!” said he, in a
43    XXXIV|           father:~ ~“Listen to this letter,” he said, imperiously.~ ~
44    XXXIV|           there.”~ ~He crumbled the letter between his hands and threw
45    XXXVI|        Chanlouineau had given her a letter, saying as he did so:~ ~“
46    XXXVI|   exclamation of joy on finding the letter there.~ ~She opened it,
47    XXXVI|     anxiously.~ ~She handed him the letter, saying: “Read.”~ ~Chanlouineau
48    XXXVI|             from the school.~ ~This letter, which was written upon
49    XXXVI|            the land.~ ~This was the letter which Chanlouineau had written,
50    XXXVI|        before handing it back, this letter whose every word palpitated
51   XXXVII|           negotiation.~ ~“Return my letter,” said Martial, “and I will
52   XXXVII|         replied the abbe, “and your letter shall be returned.”~ ~But
53   XXXVII|              now, this instant, the letter which was obtained from
54   XXXVII|           not hesitate. He drew the letter from his pocket and handing
55   XXXVII|           will be the bearer of the letter.”~ ~Corporal Bavois heard
56  XXXVIII|            marquis by the insulting letter.~ ~“We have cut him to the
57  XXXVIII|  father-in-law Maurice d’Escorval’s letter.~ ~One might have supposed
58  XXXVIII|         What is this proof?”~ ~“The letter written by my hand, in exchange
59  XXXVIII|           burning this compromising letter. To-day, I rejoice that
60  XXXVIII|          had lost while reading the letter from Maurice, came back
61  XXXVIII|          that he wished this famous letter to be given, thinking that
62    XXXIX|         passion, flung the crumbled letter full in the face of the
63    XXXIX|            Blanche herself gave the letter to a servant, with directions
64       XL|            weariness when his son’s letter was handed him.~ ~It was
65       XL|      gesture, and drawing Martial’s letter from her bosom, she handed
66      XLI|             immediately, giving the letter in charge of a youth in
67    XLIII|           he has not taken a single letter to the Borderie.”~ ~Had
68     XLIV|       looked; someone had slipped a letter under the door.~ ~Courageously,
69     XLIV|         trembling she picked up the letter, approached the light, and
70     XLIV|             impulse was to burn the letter; she held it to the flame,
71     XLIV|            trial, I will give him a letter of license~ ~from the King.~ ~“
72     XLIV|         fortunately, knew Martial’s letter by heart.~ ~The abbe made
73     XLIV|            my opinion. Intrust this letter to me. I will consult the
74     XLIV|             Sairmeuse promise him a letter of license, a safe-conduct
75     XLIV|            for a rough draft of the letter I am to write to the marquis.”~ ~
76     XLIV|             not by any means, but a letter is dangerous; it does not
77      LII|             breast; he held an open letter in his hand.~ ~He looked
78      LII|             his death.~ ~“From this letter which was forwarded by a
79      LII|           or two there would come a letter bidding her bring such a
80      LII|          that time she received one letter, at least, from Chupin.~ ~
81     LIII|             Lacheneur dictated this letter:~ ~“Madame la Duchesse—I
82     LIII|           shall carry to the post a letter for the duke.”~ ~“And if
83      LIV|            It was only an anonymous letter, but Martial’s blood mounted
84      LIV|           addressing that anonymous letter to the Duc de Sairmeuse,
85      LIV|         bills from Chelteux; then a letter from Aunt Medea in which
86      LIV|        without being watched. Not a letter reached her that her husband
87       LV|              when Otto handed him a letter from the duchess.~ ~He hastily
88       LV|            then he observed an open letter lying upon the carpet.~ ~
89       LV|           will, Lecoq picked up the letter. It read as follows:~ ~“
90       LV|      follows:~ ~“The bearer of this letter is Marie-Anne’s son, Maurice—
91       LV|          the temptation to take the letter with him.~ ~It was exactly
92       LV|         into the duke’s own hands a letter from M. Maurice d’Escorval.~ ~
93       LV|           timidly handed the duke a letter, he broke the seal, and
94       LV|        Sairmeuse.”~ ~He folded this letter with a feverish hand, and
95       LV|            not go.~ ~He slipped the letter into his pocket, then with