ndispensable into the portmanteau of
my travelling-carriage. Let the porter take a cab, and go for post horses
instantly. Within an hour, I must be on the road. Mother! mother!" cried
he, as the servant departed in haste. "Not to see her again--oh, it would
be frightful!" And sinking upon a chair, overwhelmed with sorrow, he
covered his face with his hands.

This great grief was sincere--he loved tenderly his mother that divine
sentiment had accompanied him, unalterable and pure, through all the
phases of a too often guilty life.

After a few minutes, Rodin ventured to say to his master, as he showed
him the second letter: "This, also, has just been brought from M.
Duplessis. It is very important--very pressing--"

"See what it is, and answer it. I have no head for business."

"The letter is confidential," said Rodin, presenting it to his master. "I
dare not open it, as you may see by the mark on the cover."

At sight of this mark, the countenance of Rodin's master assumed an
indefinable expression of respect and fear. With a trembling hand he
broke the seal. The note contained only the following words: "Leave all
business, and without losing a minute, set out and come. M. Duplessis
will replace you. He has orders."

"Great God!" cried this man in despair. "Set out before I have seen my
mother! It is frightful, impossible--it would perhaps kill her--yes, it
would be matricide!"

Whilst he uttered these words, his eyes rested on the huge globe, marked
with red crosses. A sudden revolution seemed to take place within him; he
appeared to repent of the violence of his regrets; his face, though still
sad, became once more calm and grave. He handed the fatal letter to his
secretary, and said to him, whilst he stifled a sigh: "To be classed
under its proper number."

Rodin took the letter, wrote a number upon it, and placed it in a
particular box. After a moment's silence, his master resumed: "You will
take orders from M. Duplessis, and work with him. You will deliver to him
the note on the affair of the medals; he knows to whom to address it. You
will write to Batavia, Leipsic, and Charlestown, in the sense agreed.
Prevent, at any price, the daughters of General Simon from quitting
Leipsic; hasten the arrival of Gabriel in Paris; and should Prince Djalma
come to Batavia, tell M. Joshua Van Dael, that we count on his zeal and
obedience to keep him there."

And this man, who, while his dying mother called to him in v