s own accord.

He eagerly broke the seal, and read:

"Monsieur le Baron:--If the Supreme Being had given me the talents,
I might have been baron Thenard, member of the Institute [academy
of ciences], but I am not. I only bear the same as him, happy if
this memory recommends me to the eccellence of your kindnesses.
The benefit with which you will honor me will be reciprocle.
I am in possession of a secret concerning an individual.
This individual concerns you. I hold the secret at your disposal
desiring to have the honor to be huseful to you. I will furnish
you with the simple means of driving from your honorabel family
that individual who has no right there, madame la baronne being
of lofty birth. The sanctuary of virtue cannot cohabit longer
with crime without abdicating.

"I awate in the entichamber the orders of monsieur le baron.

"With respect."

The letter was signed "Thenard."

This signature was not false. It was merely a trifle abridged.

Moreover, the rigmarole and the orthography completed the revelation.
The certificate of origin was complete.

Marius' emotion was profound. After a start of surprise, he underwent a
feeling of happiness. If he could now but find that other man of whom he
was in search, the man who had saved him, Marius, there would be nothing
left for him to desire.

He opened the drawer of his secretary, took out several bank-notes,
put them in his pocket, closed the secretary again, and rang the bell.
Basque half opened the door.

"Show the man in," said Marius.

Basque announced:

"Monsieur Thenard."

A man entered.

A fresh surprise for Marius. The man who entered was an utter stranger
to him.

This man, who was old, moreover, had a thick nose, his chin swathed in a
cravat, green spectacles with a double screen of green taffeta over his
eyes, and his hair was plastered and flattened down on his brow on
a level with his eyebrows like the wigs of English coachmen in "high
life." His hair was gray. He was dressed in black from head to foot, in
garments that were very threadbare but clean; a bunch of seals depending
from his fob suggested the idea of a watch. He held in his hand an old
hat! He walked in a bent attitude, and the curve in his spine augmented
the profundity of his bow.

The first thing that struck the observer was, that this personage's
coat, which was too ample although carefully buttoned,