It was now nearly five o'clock in the morning, all was dark without, and the street was perfectly deserted; what object of interest, then, could the individual opposite have in thus keeping watch, unless it were to reconnoiter the windows of Madame de Brévannes' apartment, doubtless the only one throughout the house in which a light was burning at that unusual hour?
One of those absurd suspicions which enter only into the brain of jealous _deceivers_ (a class essentially distinct from that of jealous _deceived_)--we repeat that a suspicion of the most absurd description all at once entered the mind of M. de Brévannes, who, turning quickly round towards his wife, and looking at her with angry glances and threatening countenance, exclaimed,--
[Illustration 05: "Madam, I insist upon knowing wherefore that light is burning in the opposite house."]
"Madam, I insist upon knowing wherefore that light is burning in the opposite house?" then suddenly interrupting himself, to give way to a suggestion equally ridiculous with his jealousy, he abruptly drew back the curtain, opened the window, and went out upon the balcony, where he took up his station with an air of proud defiance.
At this unexpected apparition, the curtains of the opposite windows were hastily closed, the shadow disappeared, and almost immediately the light was extinguished.
Madame de Brévannes, wholly ignorant of her husband's fury, and still less able to comprehend his fancy for throwing open the windows in the month of January, was advancing towards the balcony, when M. de Brévannes turned sharply round, and, jerking the window-curtains back to their places, exclaimed,--
"So, madam, it is thus, then, you occupy your leisure hours while awaiting my return?"
"Indeed, Charles, I understand not what you mean."
"You do not? Ah, false woman, tell me why was the window of the first floor in the house facing this lighted up just now?"
"Just now?--the window?--in the opposite house?" repeated Bertha, with increasing surprise.
"Oh, you feign astonishment admirably, madam; but it will not do. Just this minute, some person opposite was attentively watching your window, but disappeared the instant I presented myself."
"Very probably, Charles. I know nothing about it: but why do you tell me of so trifling a circumstance?"