You
will only make yourself ridiculous; you will only squander money,
of which you have none too much, and reap public mortification.'
'Ah, but there you make the common mistake, Mr. Romaine!' returned
Alain. 'You despise your adversary. Consider, if you please, how
very disagreeable I could make myself, if I chose. Consider the
position of your protege--an escaped prisoner! But I play a great
game. I condemn such petty opportunities.'
At this Romaine and I exchanged a glance of triumph. It seemed
manifest that Alain had as yet received no word of Clausel's
recapture and denunciation. At the same moment the lawyer, thus
relieved of the instancy of his fear, changed his tactics. With a
great air of unconcern, he secured the newspaper, which still lay
open before him on the table.
'I think, Monsieur Alain, that you labour under some illusion,'
said he. 'Believe me, this is all beside the mark. You seem to be
pointing to some compromise. Nothing is further from my views.
You suspect me of an inclination to trifle with you, to conceal how
things are going. I cannot, on the other hand, be too early or too
explicit in giving you information which concerns you (I must say)
capitally. Your great-uncle has to-night cancelled his will, and
made a new one in favour of your cousin Anne.
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