CHAPTER XV 182 only scorn ; less , however , than I , who had been her dupe .
" They began to talk ; their conversation eased me completely : frivolous , mercenary , heartless , and senseless , it was rather calculated to weary than enrage a listener . A card of mine lay on the table ; this being perceived , brought my name under discussion . Neither of them possessed energy or wit to belabour me soundly , but they insulted me as coarsely as they could in their little way : especially Celine , who even waxed rather brilliant on my personal defects -- deformities she termed them . Now it had been her custom to launch out into fervent admiration of what she called my ' beaute male :' wherein she differed diametrically from you , who told me point-blank , at the second interview , that you did not think me handsome . The contrast struck me at the time and -- "
Adele here came running up again .
" Monsieur , John has just been to say that your agent has called and wishes to see you ."
" Ah ! in that case I must abridge . Opening the window , I walked in upon them ; liberated Celine from my protection ; gave her notice to vacate her hotel ; offered her a purse for immediate exigencies ; disregarded screams , hysterics , prayers , protestations , convulsions ; made an appointment with the vicomte for a meeting at the Bois de Boulogne . Next morning I had the pleasure of encountering him ; left a bullet in one of his poor etiolated arms , feeble as the wing of a chicken in the pip , and then thought I had done with the whole crew . But unluckily the Varens , six months before , had given me this filette Adele , who , she affirmed , was my daughter ; and perhaps she may be , though I see no proofs of such grim paternity written in her countenance : Pilot is more like me than she . Some years after I had broken with the mother , she abandoned her child , and ran away to Italy with a musician or singer . I acknowledged no natural claim on Adele ' s part to be supported by me , nor do I now acknowledge any , for I am not her father ; but hearing that she was quite destitute , I e ' en took the poor thing out of the slime and mud of Paris , and transplanted it here , to grow up clean in the wholesome soil of an English country garden . Mrs . Fairfax found you to