File No. 113

M. Fauvel's extraordinary deje

this active, energetic man of business, had been a prey to the most gloomy melancholy, and

ear his family except at meals, when he would swa

ifference to everybody and everything, his constant reveries and fits of abstraction, bet

eated in his study, with his elbows resting on the table, and his face buried

omy, is here with one of his relatives

words started up as

a voice choked by anger

elf before his servant, he waited a few moment

em to w

witnessing a strange and affecti

ting each other. The banker's face was almost purple with suppressed anger, and he look

ey stood glaring at each

nce and coolness of a philosopher, who, in the most violent outburs

and more threatening, he decided to

that my young relative has ju

an effort to control himself, "ye

the decision of 'Not proven,' ruins the prospects of my re

ed as if he had been relie

way," he said, "he

ntful, almost insulting intonat

no notice of M.

r's determination is a wise one. I merely wished him, before le

r smiled

inful meeting. I have nothing to say to him,

anding it thus, bowed to M. Fauvel, and left the room

et before Prosper recover

exacted this painful step, and I could only acquiesce. Have I gained a

ng access to M. Fauvel, save through you; and now I have found out what I want

cted Prosper, "innoc

. I wished to find out if M. Fauvel would be accessible

, near the corner of the Rue Lafitte, in the middle of a large s

s, and was constantly looking a

an exclamation

t space, he saw Cavaillon, wh

n stop to shake hands with Prosper, b

e gone, m

long

ut a quarter o

! Then we have not

e he had written some hours

to your desk; you might be missed. It was very

uickly as he had come.

laimed. "You k

ret with a smile, "but we have n

re we go

soon know;

rd the Rue Lafayette. As they went along he con

nt. When the savage discovers the footprints of an enemy, he follows it persistently, knowing that falling rain or a gust of wind may

stopped before a door

here," he said to

e second floor, before a door over which

tapped with the ends of his fingers in a peculiar way, and the door instan

forty. She quietly ushered M. Verduret and Prosper into

to M. Verduret, as if he

utation, but questioned her

el

d affirm

es

duret in a low tone, poi

the same tone, "over the

out, and pushed Prosper into the lit

eep your pres

round the room into which he had so unceremoniously been pushe

elei

eautiful than ever. Hers was that calm, dignifi

satins, she was arranging a skirt of red velvet embroidered in gold; pro

her beautiful eyes half closed, as if she were about to fai

se cold-hearted women whom nothing could disturb, a

life the most exquisite delicacy. But she was also proud, and incapabl

he soft expression of her eyes changed to one of

watching my movements? Who gave you perm

ven worlds to explain what had just happened, bu

inued Madeleine, "that you would never again seek

se, mademois

sto

spe

chance, at least to another will than my own, that I am indebted for the happiness of once more finding myself near you. Alas! the instant I saw you my heart bounded with

s of Madeleine-those beautiful eyes which had so long been the

in a firm voice

rike you without reaching me at the same time. You suffer, I suff

lude me with vain hopes? Was I a brother to you the day we went to Notre Dame de Fourvieres, that day when, at the foot of the altar, we swore to love each other

supplicating gesture: he would not heed it

what way I had offended you-But no, you refused to explain. You drove me away, and to obey you I told everyone that I had left you of my own accord. You told me that an invincible obstacl

Madeleine stood with bowed head bef

o forget me,"

o stop, by an effort of will, the circulation of my blood? Ah, you have never love

etermination of a desperate, reckle

man!" she

' This great sorrow stared me in the face day and night in spite of all my efforts to dispel it. And you speak of forgetfulness! I sought it at the bottom of poisoned cups, but found it not. I tried to extinguish this memory of the past, tha

ou to utter

ht to forbid me, unless you love me. Love wo

upted him as if she wished to speak, and p

ed her; she clasped her ha

uffering is bey

d to misconst

ps, and then dashed to the ground. There is nothing left to attach me to life. You have destroyed my holiest beliefs; I came forth from prison disgraced by my enemies;

her, my friend, i

u no longer love me, and that I love you more madly th

e hoped for an a

silence was broke

, who, seated in a corn

d forgotten

red the room, that he kept his eyes fastened upon her face, and

ise and looked at

is neatly dressed waiti

tly dumb. He stood there with ashy lips, and

had ruled his fate; between Madeleine, the proud heiress who spurned his love, and

had heard him swear that he could never love any woman but Madeleine, that if his

the present, but in the past. What must be her humiliation and danger on hearing

tself-remained silently weeping, instea

d succeeded in recover

she had put on her bonnet and sh

roached Pros

happy, I am most wretched. You have a right to complain: I have not the right to shed a tear. While my heart is slowly b

y, but his pale lips refused t

ut if you love me you will live. You will not, I know, add to my already heavy burden of sorrow, the agony of mourning your death. For my sake, live; live

brow, and rushed from the

d to think over what had just happened, and asked himself if he were losi

mysterious power of the strange man whom he

ul power of controlling even

He was acquainted with Cavaillon, he knew all Madeleine's mo

, that when M. Verduret entered the little parlor, he strode toward

are

ny surprise at this burst of

r father's; did

have been surprised into being i

at I may be? What difference does it make to you? I told you t

ht to ask by what mea

t do you to know

whether I will acc

e I guarant

ived of my own free will, to be exposed without warning to trials like t

blind, takes a guide, and does not under

ing tone of M. Verduret was not cal

no need of them. If I attempted to defend my honor and my life, it was because I hoped that Madeleine would be restored to me.

ided, that M. Verd

e mad," he

eine has ceased to love me, and of

M. Verduret's sympathy, and he

? You did not fathom the

ning," cried Pr

tainly

nsi

n this instance. I am glad I did listen, because it has enabled me to say to you, T

recovery, although he feels himself sinking into the grave, di

suddenly calmed, "i

generous girl, while she struggled between her love, and what she believed t

he is free, and

owerful, irrepressible event. She is sacrificing herself-for whom? We shall soon know; an

resolutions of revolt slowly melting away,

were true!" he

see that Mlle. Madeleine knows who the thief is? Yes, you need not look so shocked; she knows the thief, but no human

early broke his heart to leave this li

hand, "you must think me a ridiculous

ok his head, and his voice sounded very

a slave to her every whim; when, one day she suddenly deserted me who adored her, to throw herself in the arms of a man who despised her. The

ou know th

new

id not see

a singular expression, "no: fat

osper was silen

for which I must account to my family. I am ready to follow yo

d his furniture, and wrote a letter to his friends

Verduret installed them

Chaptal. His state of mind did not permit him, however, to notice the difference between his former and present quarters.

ol air fan his burning brow; as he did so a piece of paper was blown from

lly picked it up,

handwriting of Nina Gypsy; he c

sentences did not convey any clear meaning, they were s

ent read

inst him, of whom never . . . warn Prosper, and the

osed his eyes du