e of hearing me. Explain it all to him, my dear young lady;
he will be nicely caught," added he, with a cunning air. "But in the
meantime," resumed Rodin, feeling in the side-pocket of his great-coat
and taking out a small parcel, "let me beg you to give him this, my dear
young lady. It is my revenge, and a very good one."

And while Adrienne, holding the little parcel in her hand looked at the
Jesuit with astonishment, the latter laying his forefinger upon his lip,
as if recommending silence, drew backward on tiptoe to the door, and
went out after again pointing to Dagobert with a gesture of pity; while
the soldier, in sullen dejection, with his head drooping, and his arms
crossed upon his bosom, remained deaf to the sewing-girl's earnest
consolations. When Rodin had left the room, Adrienne, approaching the
soldier, said to him, in her mild voice, with an expression of deep
interest, "Your sudden entry prevented my asking you a question that
greatly concerns me. How is your wound?"

"Thank you, madame," said Dagobert, starting from his painful lethargy,
"it is of no consequence, but I have not time to think of it. I am sorry
to have been so rough in your presence, and to have driven away that
wretch; but 'tis more than I could master. At sight of those people, my
blood is all up."

"And yet, believe me, you have been too hasty in your judgment. The
person who was just now here--"

"Too hasty, madame! I do not see him to-day for the first time. He was
with that renegade the Abbe d'Aigrigny--"

"No doubt!--and yet he is an honest and excellent man."

"He!" cried Dagobert.

"Yes; for at this moment he is busy about only one thing restoring to
you those dear children!"

"He!" repeated Dagobert, as if he could not believe what he heard. "He
restore me my children?"

"Yes; and sooner, perhaps, than you think for."

"Madame," said Dagobert, abruptly, "he deceives you. You are the dupe of
that old rascal."

"No," said Adrienne, shaking her head, with a smile. "I have proofs of
his good faith. First of all, it is he who delivers me from this house."

"Is it true?" said Dagobert, quite confounded.

"Very true; and here is, perhaps, something that will reconcile you to
him," said Adrienne, as she delivered the small parcel which Rodin
had given her as he went out. "Not wishing to exasperate you by his
presence, he said to me: 'Give this to that brave soldier; it is my
revenge.'"

Dagobert looked at Mdlle. de Car