feeling； of good taste； and sincere respect which from time to time
remind us of the virtues and dignity of the old French nobility。
Following the Marshal's bier came the old Marquis de Montauran； the
brother of him who； in the great rising of the Chouans in 1799； had
been the foe； the luckless foe； of Hulot。 That Marquis； killed by the
balls of the 〃Blues；〃 had confided the interests of his young brother
to the Republican soldier。 （See /Les Chouans/。） Hulot had so
faithfully acted on the noble Royalist's verbal will； that he
succeeded in saving the young man's estates； though he himself was at
the time an emigre。 And so the homage of the old French nobility was
not wanting to the leader who； nine years since； had conquered MADAME。
This death； happening just four days before the banns were cried for
the last time； came upon Lisbeth like the thunderbolt that burns the
garnered harvest with the barn。 The peasant of Lorraine； as often
happens； had succeeded too well。 The Marshal had died of the blows
dealt to the family by herself and Madame Marneffe。
The old maid's vindictiveness； which success seemed to have somewhat
mollified； was aggravated by this disappointment of her hopes。 Lisbeth
went； crying with rage； to Madame Marneffe； for she was homeless； the
Marshal having agreed that his lease was at any time to terminate with
his life。 Crevel； to console Valerie's friend； took charge of her
savings； added to them considerably； and invested the capital in five
per cents； giving her the life interest； and putting the securities
into Celestine's name。 Thanks to this stroke of business； Lisbeth had
an income of about two thousand francs。
When the Marshal's property was examined and valued； a note was found；
addressed to his sister…in…law； to his niece Hortense； and to his
nephew Victorin； desiring that they would pay among them an annuity of
twelve hundred francs to Mademoiselle Lisbeth Fischer； who was to have
been his wife。
Adeline； seeing her husband between life and death； succeeded for some
days in hiding from him the fact of his brother's death； but Lisbeth
came； in mourning； and the terrible truth was told him eleven days
after the funeral。
The crushing blow revived the sick man's energies。 He got up； found
his family collected in the drawing…room； all in black； and suddenly
silent as he came in。 In a fortnight； Hulot； as lean as a spectre；
looked to his family the mere shadow of himself。
〃I must decide on something；〃 said he in a husky voice； as he seated
himself in an easy…chair； and looked round at the party； of whom
Crevel and Steinbock were absent。
〃We cannot stay here； the rent is too high；〃 Hortense was saying just
as her father came in。
〃As to a home；〃 said Victorin； breaking the painful silence； 〃I can
offer my mother〃
As he heard these words； which excluded him； the Baron raised his
head； which was sunk on his breast as though he were studying the
pattern of the carpet； though he did not even see it； and he gave the
young lawyer an appealing look。 The rights of a father are so
indefeasibly sacred； even when he is a villain and devoid of honor；
that Victorin paused。
〃To your mother；〃 the Baron repeated。 〃You are right； my son。〃
〃The rooms over ours in our wing；〃 said Celestine； finishing her
husband's sentence。
〃I am in your way； my dears？〃 said the Baron； with the mildness of a
man who has judged himself。 〃But do not be uneasy as to the future；
you will have no further cause for complaint of your father； you will
not see him till the time when you need no longer blush for him。〃
He went up to Hortense and kissed her brow。 He opened his arms to his
son； who rushed into his embrace； guessing his father's purpose。 The
Baron signed to Lisbeth； who came to him； and he kissed her forehead。
Then he went to his room； whither Adeline followed him in an agony of
dread。
〃My brother was quite right； Adeline；〃 he said； holding her hand。 〃I
am unworthy of my home life。 I dared not bless my children； who have
behaved so nobly； but in my heart； tell them that I could only venture
to kiss them； for the blessing of a bad man； a father who has been an
assassin and the scourge of his family instead of its protector and
its glory； might bring evil on them； but assure them that I shall
bless them every day。As to you； God alone； for He is Almighty； can
ever reward you according to your merits！I can only ask your
forgiveness！〃 and he knelt at her feet； taking her hands and wetting
them with his tears。
〃Hector； Hector！ Your sins have been great； but Divine Mercy is
infinite； and you may repair all by staying with me。Rise up in
Christian charity； my dearI am your wife； and not your judge。 I am
your possession； do what you will with me； take me wherever you go； I
feel strong enough comfort you； to make life endurable to you； by the
strength of my love； my care； and respect。Our children are settled
in life； they need me no more。 Let me try to be an amusement to you；
an occupation。 Let me share the pain of your banishment and of your
poverty； and help to mitigate it。 I could always be of some use； if it
were only to save the expense of a servant。〃
〃Can you forgive； my dearly…beloved Adeline？〃
〃Yes； only get up； my dear！〃
〃Well； with that forgiveness I can live；〃 said he； rising to his feet。
〃I came back into this room that my children should not see their
father's humiliation。 Oh！ the sight constantly before their eyes of a
father so guilty as I am is a terrible thing； it must undermine
parental influence and break every family tie。 So I cannot remain
among you； and I must go to spare you the odious spectacle of a father
bereft of dignity。 Do not oppose my departure Adeline。 It would only
be to load with your own hand the pistol to blow my brains out。 Above
all； do not seek me in my hiding…place； you would deprive me of the
only strong motive remaining in me； that of remorse。〃
Hector's decisiveness silenced his dejected wife。 Adeline； lofty in
the midst of all this ruin； had derived her courage from her perfect
union with her husband； for she had dreamed of having him for her own；
of the beautiful task of comforting him； of leading him back to family
life； and reconciling him to himself。
〃But； Hector； would you leave me to die of despair； anxiety； and
alarms！〃 said she； seeing herself bereft of the mainspring of her
strength。
〃I will come back to you； dear angelsent from Heaven expressly for
me； I believe。 I will come back； if not rich； at least with enough to
live in ease。Listen； my sweet Adeline； I cannot stay here for many
reasons。 In the first place； my pension of six thousand francs is
pledged for four years； so I have nothing。 That is not all。 I shall be
committed to prison within a few days in consequence of the bills held
by Vauvinet。 So I must keep out of the way until my son； to whom I
will give full instructions； shall have bought in the bills。 My
disappearance will facilitate that。 As soon as my pension is my own；
and Vauvinet is paid off； I will return to you。You would be sure to
let out the secret of my hiding…place。 Be calm； do not cry； Adeline
it is only for a month〃
〃Where will you go？ What will you do？ What will become of you？ Who
will take care of you now that you are no longer young？ Let me go with
youwe will go abroad〃 said she。
〃Well； well； we will see；〃 he replied。
The Baron rang and ordered Mariette to collect all his things and pack
them quickly and secretly。 Then； after embracing his wife with a
warmth of affection to which she was unaccustomed； he begged her to
leave him alone for a few minutes while he wrote his instructions for
Victorin； promising that he would not leave the house till dark； or
without her。
As soon as the Baroness was in the drawing…room； the cunning old man
stole out through the dressing…closet to the anteroom； and went away；
giving Mariette a slip of paper； on which was written； 〃Address my
trunks to go by railway to Corbeilto Monsieur Hector； cloak…room；
Corbeil。〃
The Baron jumped into a hackney coach； and was rushing across Paris by
the time Mariette came to give the Baroness this note； and say that
her master had gone out。 Adeline flew back into her room； trembling
more violently than ever； her children followed on hearing her give a
piercing cry。 They found her in a dead faint； and they put her to bed；
for she was seized by a nervous fever which held her for a month
between life and death。
〃Where is he？〃 was the only thing she would say。
Victorin sought for him in vain。
And this is why。 The Baron had driven to the Place du Palais Royal。
There this man； who had recovered all his wits to work out a scheme
which he had premeditated during the days he had spent crushed with
pain and grief； crossed the Palais Royal on foot； and took a handsome
carriage from a livery…stable in the Rue Joquelet。 In obedience to his
orders； the coachman went to the Rue de la Ville l'Eveque； and into
the courtyard of Josepha's mansion； the gates opening at once at the
call of the driver of such a splendid vehicle。 Josepha came out；
prompted by curiosity； for her man…servant had told her that a
helpless old gentleman； unable to ge