She was a worker in a great
silk-factory, and was happy and contented, so it seemed, till--well!
It is the old story--a man with a woman, and the man is most often
the devil in it. Anyway, this Marguerite went mad on her love-
affair,--and we called her 'La Folle,'--not harshly--for all the
town was kind to her. I mentioned her name once in the presence of
this man Cazeau, and he started as if an adder had bitten him. And
now--he has disappeared--and strange to say, so has she!"
"So has she!" echoed Midon, opening his eyes a little wider--"Then
what do you suppose?--"
"Just this," said Patoux, emphasizing his words by marking them out
with a fat thumb on the palm of the other hand--"That Cazeau was the
villain of the piece as they say in the theatres, and that she has
punished him for his villainy. She used to swear in her mad speech
that if ever she met the man who had spoilt her life for her, she
would kill him; and that is just what I believe she has done!"
"But would she kill herself also?" demanded Pierre--"And what has
become of one or both bodies?"
"Ah! There thou dost ask more than I can answer!" said Patoux. "But
what is very certain is, that both bodies, living or dead, have
disappeared.
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