File No. 113

s decision. He was conducted before the officer who had searched him when he was arrested; and the contents of his pocket, his watch

ge, and almost pushed through a doo

n the quay: he was

inability to convict him of th

ld breathe the pure air; but ever

ial would restore him to hi

oven" had left him co

c opinion are more fearful than

so cruelly suffered from the horror of his situation,

am innocent!" he cried out.

g, stopped to look at him, and

feet. A thought of su

right to kill myself. No: I will not d

er, determined thirst for vengeance, which gives a man the force and patience to destroy or wear out all obsta

m. For each crime, justice requires a criminal: he could not establish his own innocenc

t had taken place during the nine days that he had been cut off from all intercourse with his friends? No news of them h

een so haughty, would now be pointed at with the finger of scorn. He would be greeted with cold looks and averted fac

of one. But what friend would believe him when his father, who sh

almost overwhelmed by the sense of his wret

ith her, because he knew that she loved him, and that nothing would make her believe him guilty; because he knew that a woman r

, Prosper saw his own door,

an honest man always feels when he

he knew; yet he could not rem

e uttered an exclamation o

as snow; and, when I read in the papers that you were arrested for robbery, I s

offered from pure kindness of heart; but they impressed P

left: can you tell m

sent for a hack, got into it with her trunks, and di

r blow to the u

e are my

our father paid an

e you hav

told me that a friend of his would take charge of your rooms until you shoul

ne of his father's friends being in his rooms? He did

know who

the stairs, and kn

d by his fat

a red face, sensual lips, brilliant eyes, and of rather coarse

r acquaintance, monsie

y a book, which he had taken from the bookcase; an

monsieur,"

to you; but he was compelled to return to Beaucaire this morning; and let me add that he

d news, Prosper's face

ther, which I hope will serve

read his eyes grew brighter, and a sl

held out his hand to the

best friend; he advises me to have absolute

s in great trouble, he must be helped out.' I replied, 'I am ready,' and here I am to help yo

Prosper's slumbering r

angrily: "what should I do but se

ut have you any h

an devotes his whole life to the accomplishme

purpose. I have therefore already begun to think and act for you. I have a plan. In

ot see that such a step would be a confession of guilt, would authorize the

urface immediately: on the contrary, he plunges beneath, and remains there as long as his breath holds out. He comes up again at a great distance, and lands out of sight; then, when he is supposed to be de

sper listened to this man, who, though a friend

uch more energetic and forcible than his own. In his helpless

ow your advi

every cent of the proceeds of the sale. Have you any ready money? no, but you must have some. Knowing that you would need

from shrugging his shoulders

sten: you are the invalid, and I am the doctor charged to cure you; if I cu

, monsieur," a

r time passes. You have

sieur, he is an

e, who is t

ow" seemed to

Fauvel's nephew; he is a wealthy young man, handsome,

ned by so many charming qualities. I must let you know that I wrote him a note in y

do you

young man. Also, I have arranged and will s

ont door interru

n; here he is! Where can I

; leave the door open

ring wa

"not one word to this man about your plans, or about me. Pr

nd the curtain, as Pros

an exaggerated one. So handsome a face and manly

wenty. He had a superb figure, well knit and supple; a beautiful white brow, s

as to throw himself

iend!" he said, "

there was a certain constraint, which, if it e

s so frightened by it. I asked myself if you could have lost your min

t the letter which he had not written. What were its conte

gh to commence life anew. Your friends are still left to you. I have come to

ment like this with such frank si

thank you! But unfortunately all the mon

oing to do? Do you prop

de no plans yet. My mind is t

tart afresh; until this mysterious robbery is explained you must

t never should

If I were in Prosper's place,' he said, 'I would turn everything into money, and embark for Americ

but he said nothing. He was thinking

rced himself to say. "I will see. I w

to enter his banking-house, and we have almost quarrelled. I have not

ugh w

essed by this affair than you are. He does not attend to his busi

osper hesitated-"and Mlle

ters, because she is entirely absorbed in preparing for the fancy ball to be given day after to-morrow by MM. Jandidier. She has discovered, so one of her friends told me, a wonde

there was nothing left to be inflicted upon him, and had reached that state of impassibility from whi

e! Oh, Ma

ot to have heard him, rose

ladies at the ball, and will bring you news of them. Now, do have c

him, and hurried up the street, leaving Prosper

every by hearing the red-whisker

are your

itterness. "You heard him

his shoulders with

e? Offers cost nothing; although I have no doubt that this sweet youth woul

r! what

reason that he had not set foot i

truth, monsieur,

with a serious air, "we have devoted enough time to this Adonis. Now, be

ed to stir up all

tement, "no, never will I volun

did not surpri

at I wished to see M. de Lagors, do I wish to see M. Fauvel; it is necessary, you understand. Are you so very weak that you cannot p

ely necessary," s

a brave face. Hurry and fix yourself up a little; it is getti

bell rang again. M. Verduret opened the door. It was

so flustered when he came that I forgot to hand it to h

was not written, but formed of printed letters, car

M. Verduret; then turning towa

the door behind him; there he found Pro

er for you," sa

tore open t

ped out; he counted

face tur

this mean

tter and find out,"

composed of printed words cut ou

hort but

or. There is one heart, be assured, that shares your sufferings. Go away; leave France

y and perplexed, for he could not explain the rapidly succeeding ev

ay," he cried; "then there mu

smiled with

o hate you because of the wrong they have done you; there are people to whom your prese

e, monsieur? Tell me, wh

rches. I have finally procured evidence which will sooner or later become convincing proof. I have heretofore only made deductions mor

uret's reassuring words, he fe

this evidence, gained by the imprudence of our ene

he door and

od man, step

h surprised at the authority exercis

his letter?" sa

said he was paid

u know

and-runner who keeps his cart a

bring hi

his pocket his diary, and compared a page of it w

the thief," he said, after an

hink so,

etration and forethought. One thing is certain: these ten thousand francs are no

t account for this certainty on t

it: I have the numbers

even I did n

te everything, and forget nothing. It is a poor excuse for a man to say, 'I

e repugnance about confiding in his father

erned only by the inspirations of inexperience, never wou

himself, as if he had absolute

the time of the robbery, but could not prevent it, and now feels remorse. The probability of two persons assisting at

ed hard to comprehend this monolo

second person, whose conscience pricks h

al times, scanning the senten

.' A man would have said, loan, money, or some other equivalent, but succor, never. No one but a woman, ignorant of masculine susceptibilities, would have natu

," said Prosper: "no woman

erruption, perhaps he did not hear it; pe

ver whence the printed words wer

words with all the scrupulous attention which an antiq

tly, these words have not been cut from a newspaper, magazine, or even a novel. I have

en, and eyes fixed, appealin

ruck his foreh

e it at once? These words have all been cut from a prayer-b

, and, when it was sufficiently softened, he detached it with a p

e pleased to see this. But what has become of the mutilated prayer-book? Can it have been

he porter, who returned with the

ouragingly. Then he showed the

inging this letter

cular notice of the direction; we

bring it? a gentl

nsieur; it w

ugh very much, but not a musc

o you know this co

ven saw hi

oes he

r short; he wore a gree

d suit every porter in the city; but did y

arry this to No. 39, Rue Chaptal: a coachman on the boulevard hand

So many precautions taken in sending the let

would recognize

ieur, if I

you gain a da

stand, and I am busy doing errands nearly all d

this letter. Every evening, at eight o'clock, come to the Archangel, on the Quai Saint Michel, give me a report of yo

hink I will

lose a minut

cess, and yet he almost forgot this fact in his admiration of this singular man; for his energy, his bantering coolness when he wished

r had left the room, "do you still thin

and a woman who has two prayer-books, si

to find the mu

have of making an immediate searc

ched off a few lines on a slip of paper, wh

s? Yes? Come on, then; we have cer