you not hear my first words to him, when he told me of the catastrophe?
Were they not 'Charles, I love you; but if I thought you had let those
two unfortunates, who risked themselves to save me, die without risking
your life in return to save them, I would break my heart rather than
ever look at you or speak to you again!' Did I not say that? And did he
not answer, 'Mother, my life was risked for them. I proved my devotion
by exposing myself to arrest--I was imprisoned for my exertions--and
then I could do no more!' Did you not stand by and hear him give that
answer, overwhelmed while he spoke by generous emotion? Do you not know
that he really was imprisoned in the Temple? Do you dare to think that
we are to blame after that? I owe you much, Dubois, but if you are to
take liberties with me--"

"Oh, madame! I beg pardon a thousand times. I was thoughtless--only
thoughtless--"

"Silence! Is my coach at the door? Very well. Get ready to accompany me.
Your master will not have time to return here. He will meet me, for the
signing of the contract, at General Berthelin's house at two precisely.
Stop! Are there many people in the street? I can't be stared at by the
mob as I go to my carriage."

Dubois hobbled penitently to the window and looked out, while his
mistress walked to the door.

"The street is almost empty, madame," he said. "Only a man with a woman
on his arm, stopping and admiring your carriage. They seem like decent
people, as well as I can tell without my spectacles. Not mob, I should
say, madame; certainly not mob!"

"Very well. Attend me downstairs; and bring some loose silver with you,
in case those two decent people should be fit objects for charity.
No orders for the coachman, except that he is to go straight to the
general's house."

The party assembled at General Berthelin's to witness the signature
of the marriage-contract, comprised, besides the persons immediately
interested in the ceremony of the day, some young ladies, friends of the
bride, and a few officers, who had been comrades of her father's in past
years. The guests were distributed, rather unequally, in two handsome
apartments opening into each other--one called in the house the
drawing-room, and the other the library. In the drawing-room were
assembled the notary, with the contract ready, the bride, the young
ladies, and the majority of General Berthelin's friends. In the library,
the remainder of the military guests were amusing th