Page 241 (1/1)
At eight o'clock in theAlbert had arrived at Beauchamp's door The valet de chambre had received orders to usher him in at once Beauchamp was in his bath "Here I am," said Albert
"Well, my poor friend," replied Beauchamp, "I expected you"
"I need not say I think you are too faithful and too kind to have spoken of that painful circu sent fortihtest idea whence this terrible blow proceeds?"
"I think I have some clew"
"But first tell me all the particulars of this shafacts Two days previously, the article had appeared in another paper besides the Impartial, and, as overnraph He sent immediately for a cabriolet, and hastened to the publisher's office Although professing diametrically opposite principles from those of the editor of the other paper, Beauchamp--as it sometimes, we may say often, happens--was his intiht, a leading article in the saar, probably a composition of his own
"Ah, pardieu," said Beauchamp, "with the paper in your hand, my friend, I need not tell you the cause of ar question?" asked the editor of the ministerial paper
"No," replied Beauchamp, "I have not considered the question; a totally different subject interests me"
"What is it?"
"The article relative to Morcerf"
"Indeed? Is it not a curious affair?"
"So curious, that I think you are running a great risk of a prosecution for defamation of character"
"Not at all; we have received with the information all the requisite proofs, and we are quite sure M de Morcerf will not raise his voice against us; besides, it is rendering a service to one's country to denounce these wretched criminals who are unworthy of the honor bestowed on them" Beauchamp was thunderstruck "Who, then, has so correctly inforave the first infored to stop for want of proof; and yet we areM de Morcerf, as he is a peer of France, and we are of the opposition"
"Oh, that is very siht to us Aa formidable array of documents; and e hesitated to publish the accusatory article, he told us it should be inserted in some other paper"