Sherosecalmandstrengthened:itseemedasifaheavenlyinspirationhadmarkedoutherduty。Tosufferinsilence，suchwasthecoursesheadopted，——alifeofsacrificeandself—denialwhichsheofferedtoGodasanexpiationforherinvoluntarysin。Butwhocanunderstandtheworkingsofthehumanheart？Thismanwhomsheoughttohaveloathed，thismanwhohadmadeheraninnocentpartnerinhiscrime，thisunmaskedimpostorwhomsheshouldhavebeheldonlywithdisgust，she—lovedhim！Theforceofhabit，theascendancyhehadobtainedoverher，thelovehehadshownher，athousandsympathiesfeltinherinmostheart，allthesehadsomuchinfluence，that，insteadofaccusingandcursinghim，shesoughttoexcusehimonthepleaofapassiontowhich，doubtless，hehadyieldedwhenusurpingthenameandplaceofanother。Shefearedpunishmentforhimyetmorethandisgraceforherself，andthoughresolvedtonolongerallowhimtherightspurchasedbycrime，sheyettrembledattheideaoflosinghislove。Itwasthisaboveallwhichdecidedhertokeepeternalsilenceaboutherdiscovery;onesinglewordwhichprovedthathisimposturewasknownwouldraiseaninsurmountablebarrierbetweenthem。
Toconcealhertroubleentirelywas，however，beyondherpower;hereyesfrequentlyshowedtracesofhersecrettears。Martinseveraltimesaskedthecauseofhersorrow;shetriedtosmileandexcuseherself，onlyimmediatelysinkingbackintohergloomythoughts。
Martinthoughtitmerecaprice;heobservedherlossofcolour，herhollowcheeks，andconcludedthatagewasimpairingherbeauty，andbecamelessattentivetoher。Hisabsencesbecamelongerandmorefrequent，andhedidnotconcealhisimpatienceandannoyanceatbeingwatched;forherlookshunguponhis，andsheobservedhiscoldnessandchangewithmuchgrief。Havingsacrificedallinordertoretainhislove，shenowsawitslowlyslippingawayfromher。
Anotherpersonalsoobservedattentively。PierreGuerresincehisexplanationwithBertrandehadapparentlydiscoverednomoreevidence，anddidnotdaretobringanaccusationwithoutsomepositiveproofs。Consequentlyhelostnochanceofwatchingtheproceedingsofhissupposednephew，silentlyhopingthatchancemightputhimonthetrackofadiscovery。HealsoconcludedfromBertrande\'sstateofmelancholythatshehadconvincedherselfofthefraud，buthadresolvedtoconcealit。
Martinwasthenendeavoringtosellapartofhisproperty，andthisnecessitatedfrequentinterviewswiththelawyersoftheneighbouringtown。TwiceintheweekhewenttoRieux，andtomakethejourneyeasier，usedtostarthorsebackaboutsevenintheevening，sleepatRieux，andreturnthefollowingafternoon。Thisarrangementdidnotescapehisenemy\'snotice，whowasnotlonginconvincinghimselfthatpartofthetimeostensiblyspentonthisjourneywasotherwiseemployed。