The next morning,

　　"It is from no personal ill-feeling towards the viscount,that is all I can say, sir," replied Danglars, who resumedhis insolent manner as soon as he perceived that Morcerf wasa little softened and calmed down. "And towards whom do youbear this personal ill-feeling, then?" said Morcerf, turningpale with anger. The expression of the count's face had notremained unperceived by the banker; he fixed on him a lookof greater assurance than before, and said: "You may,perhaps, be better satisfied that I should not go fartherinto particulars."

　　A tremor of suppressed rage shook the whole frame of thecount, and making a violent effort over himself, he said: "Ihave a right to insist on your giving me an explanation. Isit Madame de Morcerf who has displeased you? Is it myfortune which you find insufficient? Is it because myopinions differ from yours?"

　　"Nothing of the kind, sir," replied Danglars: "if such hadbeen the case, I only should have been to blame, inasmuch asI was aware of all these things when I made the engagement.No, do not seek any longer to discover the reason. I reallyam quite ashamed to have been the cause of your undergoingsuch severe self-examination; let us drop the subject, andadopt the middle course of delay, which implies neither arupture nor an engagement. Ma foi, there is no hurry. Mydaughter is only seventeen years old, and your sontwenty-one. While we wait, time will be progressing, eventswill succeed each other; things which in the evening lookdark and obscure, appear but too clearly in the light ofmorning, and sometimes the utterance of one word, or thelapse of a single day, will reveal the most cruelcalumnies."

　　"Calumnies, did you say, sir?" cried Morcerf, turning lividwith rage. "Does any one dare to slander me?"

　　"Monsieur, I told you that I considered it best to avoid allexplanation."

　　"Then, sir, I am patiently to submit to your refusal?"

　　"Yes, sir, although I assure you the refusal is as painfulfor me to give as it is for you to receive, for I hadreckoned on the honor of your alliance, and the breaking offof a marriage contract always injures the lady more than thegentleman."

　　"Enough, sir," said Morcerf, "we will speak no more on thesubject." And clutching his gloves in anger, he left theapartment. Danglars observed that during the wholeconversation Morcerf had never once dared to ask if it wason his own account that Danglars recalled his word. Thatevening he had a long conference with several friends; andM. Cavalcanti, who had remained in the drawing-room with theladies, was the last to leave the banker's house.

　　The next morning, as soon as he awoke, Danglars asked forthe newspapers; they were brought to him; he laid asidethree or four, and at last fixed on the Impartial, the paperof which Beauchamp was the chief editor. He hastily tore offthe cover, opened the journal with nervous precipitation,passed contemptuously over the Paris jottings, and arrivingat the miscellaneous intelligence, stopped with a malicioussmile, at a paragraph headed "We hear from Yanina." "Verygood," observed Danglars, after having read the paragraph;"here is a little article on Colonel Fernand, which, if I amnot mistaken, would render the explanation which the Comtede Morcerf required of me perfectly unnecessary."