The next morning, Danglars broke his usual routine. Instead of visiting his wife's room on his way to the office, he stayed away entirely.
Around half-past twelve, Madame Danglars ordered her carriage and left the house. Hidden behind a curtain, Danglars watched her departure with grim satisfaction. He'd told his servants to inform him the moment she returned, but by two o'clock, she still hadn't come back. Finally, he called for his own horses and headed to the government chamber, where he signed up to speak against the proposed budget.
Between noon and two, Danglars had locked himself in his study, tearing open letters and financial reports. Each one seemed to bring worse news than the last. The numbers piled up in his head, crushing his spirits further with every calculation. Among his few visitors that morning was Major Cavalcanti, who arrived precisely on time, as stiff and formal as always, to finalize their business arrangement from the night before.
