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MydearLouise，——Isendthisletterbyanexpressbeforehasteningtothechaletmyself。Takecourage。Yourlastletterseemedtomesofrantic，thatIthoughtmyselfjustified，underthecircumstances，inconfidingalltoLouis；itwasaquestionofsavingyoufromyourself。
Ifthemeanswehaveemployedhavebeen，likeyours，repulsive，yettheresultissosatisfactorythatIamcertainyouwillapprove。I
wentsofarastosetthepolicetowork，butthewholethingremainsasecretbetweentheprefect，ourselvesandyou。
Inoneword，Gastonisajewel!Butherearethefacts。Hisbrother，LouisGaston，diedatCalcutta，whileintheserviceofamercantilecompany，whenhewasontheverypointofreturningtoFrance，arich，prosperous，marriedman，havingreceivedaverylargefortunewithhiswife，whowasthewidowofanEnglishmerchant。Fortenyearshehadworkedhardthathemightbeabletosendhomeenoughtosupporthisbrother，towhomhewasdevotedlyattached，andfromwhomhislettersgenerouslyconcealedallhistrialsanddisappointments。
ThencamethefailureofthegreatHalmerhouse；thewidowwasruined，andthesuddenshockaffectedLouisGaston’sbrain。Hehadnomentalenergylefttoresistthediseasewhichattackedhim，andhediedinBengal，whitherhehadgonetotryandrealizetheremnantsofhiswife’sproperty。Thedear，goodfellowhaddepositedwithabankerafirstsumofthreehundredthousandfrancs，whichwastogotohisbrother，butthebankerwasinvolvedintheHalmercrash，andthustheirlastresourcefailedthem。
Louis’widow，thehandsomewomanwhomyoutookforyourrival，arrivedinPariswithtwochildren——yournephews——andanemptypurse，hermother’sjewelshavingbarelysufficedtopayforbringingthemover。
TheinstructionswhichLouisGastonhadgiventhebankerforsendingthemoneytohisbrotherenabledthewidowtofindyourhusband’sformerhome。AsGastonhaddisappearedwithoutleavinganyaddress，Mme。LouisGastonwasdirectedtod’Arthez，theonlypersonwhocouldgiveanyinformationabouthim。
D’Arthezwasthemorereadytorelievetheyoungwoman’spressingneeds，becauseLouisGaston，atthetimeofhismarriagefouryearsbefore，hadwrittentomakeinquiriesabouthisbrotherfromthefamousauthor，whomheknewtobeoneofhisfriends。TheCaptainhadconsultedd’ArthezastothebestmeansofgettingthemoneysafelytransferredtoMarie，andd’Arthezhadreplied，tellinghimthatGastonwasnowarichmanthroughhismarriagewiththeBaronnedeMacumer。Thepersonalbeauty，whichwasthemother’srichheritagetohersons，hadsavedthemboth——oneinIndia，theotherinParis——fromdestitution。Atouchingstory，isitnot？
D’Artheznaturallywrote，afteratime，totellyourhusbandoftheconditionofhissister-in-lawandherchildren，informinghim，atthesametime，ofthegenerousintentionsoftheIndianGastontowardshisParisbrother，whichanunhappychancehadfrustrated。Gaston，asyoumayimagine，hurriedofftoParis。Hereisthefirstrideaccountedfor。Duringthelastfiveyearshehadsavedfiftythousandfrancsoutoftheincomeyouforcedhimtoaccept，andthissumheinvestedinthepublicfundsunderthenamesofhistwonephews，securingthemeach，inthisway，anincomeoftwelvehundredfrancs。Nexthefurnishedhissister-in-law’srooms，andpromisedheraquarterlyallowanceofthreethousandfrancs。Hereyouseethemeaningofhisdramaticlaborsandthepleasurecausedhimbythesuccessofhisfirstplay。
Mme。Gaston，therefore，isnorivalofyours，andhaseveryrighttoyourname。AmanofGaston’ssensitivedelicacywasboundtokeeptheaffairsecretfromyou，knowingashedid，yourgenerousnature。Nordoeshelookonwhatyougivehimashisown。D’Arthezreadmetheletterhehadfromyourhusband，askinghimtobeoneofthewitnessesathismarriage。Gastoninthisdeclaresthathishappinesswouldhavebeenperfectbutfortheonedrawbackofhispovertyandindebtednesstoyou。Avirginsoulisatthemercyofsuchscruples。Eithertheymakethemselvesfeltortheydonot；andwhentheydo，itiseasytoimaginetheconflictoffeelingandembarrassmenttowhichtheygiverise。NothingismorenaturalthanGaston’swishtoprovideinsecretasuitablemaintenanceforthewomanwhoishisbrother’swidow，andwhohadherselfsetasideonehundredthousandfrancsforhimfromherownfortune。Sheisahandsomewoman，warm-hearted，andextremelywell-bred，butnotclever。Sheisamother；and，youmaybesure，I
lostmyhearttoheratfirstsightwhenIfoundherwithonechildinherarms，andtheotherdressedlikealittlelord。Thechildrenfirst!iswrittenineverydetailofherhouse。
Farfrombeingangry，therefore，withyourbelovedhusband，youshouldfindinallthisfreshreasonforlovinghim。Ihavemethim，andthinkhimthemostdelightfulyoungfellowinParis。Yes!dearchild，whenIsawhim，Ihadnodifficultyinunderstandingthatawomanmightloseherheadabouthim；hissoulismirroredinhiscountenance。IfIwereyou，Ishouldsettlethewidowandherchildrenatthechalet，inaprettylittlecottagewhichyoucouldhavebuiltforthem，andadopttheboys!
Beatpeace，then，dearsoul，andplanthislittlesurprise，inyourturn，forGaston。
MME。GASTONTOTHECOMTESSEDEL’ESTORADE
Ah!mydearfriend，whatcanIsayinanswerexceptthecruel/“Itistoolate“/ofthatfoolLaf
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