And to crown all, she was jealous. For several months she
tried to persuade Tremorel to break with Jenny. He always had the
same reply, which, though it might be prudent, was irritating.
"Jenny is our security--you must think of that."
The fact was, however, that he was trying to devise some means of
getting rid of Jenny. It was a difficult matter. The poor girl,
having fallen into comparative poverty, became more and more
tenacious of Hector's affection. She often gave him trouble by
telling him that he was no longer the same, that he was changed;
she was sad, and wept, and had red eyes.
One evening, in a fit of anger, she menaced him with a singular
threat.
"You love another," she said. "I know it, for I have proofs of it.
Take care! If you ever leave me, my anger will fall on her head,
and I will not have any mercy on her."
The count foolishly attached no importance to these words; they only
hastened the separation.
"She is getting very troublesome," thought he. "If some day I
shouldn't go when she was expecting me, she might come up to
Valfeuillu, and make a wretched scandal."
He armed himself with all his courage, which was assisted by Bertha's
tears and entreaties, and started for Corbeil resolved to break off
with Jenny.
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