ardonable, and had
determined not to spare him.

He had expected to meet a proud, haughty noble, almost unmanageable; and
he had resolved to humble his arrogance.

Perhaps the harsh treatment he had received of old from the Marchioness
d'Arlange had given him, unconsciously, a slight grudge against the
aristocracy.

He had vaguely thought of certain rather severe remarks, which were to
overcome the old nobleman, and bring him to a sense of his position.

But when he found himself in the presence of such a sincere repentance,
his indignation changed to profound pity; and he began to wonder how he
could assuage the count's grief.

"Write, sir," continued M. de Commarin with an exaltation of which he
did not seem capable ten minutes before,--"write my avowal and suppress
nothing. I have no longer need of mercy nor of tenderness. What have
I to fear now? Is not my disgrace public? Must not I, Count Rheteau
de Commarin appear before the tribunal, to proclaim the infamy of our
house? Ah! all is lost now, even honour itself. Write, sir; for I wish
that all the world shall know that I am the most deserving of blame. But
they shall also know that the punishment has been already terrible, and
that there was no need for this last and awful trial."

The count stopped for a moment, to concentrate and arrange his memory.

He soon continued, in a firmer voice, and adapting his tone to what he
had to say, "When I was of Albert's age, sir, my parents made me marry,
in spite of my protestations, the noblest and purest of young girls. I
made her the most unhappy of women. I could not love her. I cherished a
most passionate love for a mistress, who had trusted herself to me, and
whom I had loved for a long time. I found her rich in beauty, purity and
mind. Her name was Valerie. My heart is, so to say, dead and cold in me,
sir, but, ah! when I pronounce that name, it still has a great effect
upon me. In spite of my marriage, I could not induce myself to part from
her, though she wished me to. The idea of sharing my love with another
was revolting to her. No doubt she loved me then. Our relations
continued. My wife and my mistress became mothers at nearly the same
time. This coincidence suggested to me the fatal idea of sacrificing
my legitimate son to his less fortunate brother. I communicated this
project to Valerie. To my great surprise, she refused it with horror.
Already the maternal instinct was aroused within her; she would not