pite was due to a false declaration of
pregnancy, made to gain time for the appeal."

"Ah! I understand it all now," exclaimed Godefroid.

"No, my dear child, there are things that no one can imagine. Madame
thought her daughter living for a long time."

"How was that?"

"When Madame des Tours-Minieres learned from Bordin that her appeal was
rejected and that nothing could save her, that sublime little woman had
the courage to write twenty letters, dating them month by month after
the time of her execution, so as to make her poor mother in her prison
believe she was alive. In those letters she told of a gradual illness
which would end in death. They covered a period of two years. Madame
de la Chanterie was therefore prepared for the news of her daughter's
death, but she thought it a natural one. She did not know until 1814
that Henriette had died on the scaffold. For two years Madame was herded
among the most depraved of her sex, but thanks to the urgency of the
Champignelles and the Beauseants she was, after the second year, placed
in a cell by herself, where she lived like a cloistered nun."

"And the others?" asked Godefroid.

"The notary Leveille, Herbomez, Hiley, Cibot, Grenier, Horeau, Cabot,
Minard, and Mallet were condemned to death, and executed the same day.
Pannier, condemned to hard labor for twenty years, was branded and sent
to the galleys. The Chaussards and Vauthier received the same sentence,
but were pardoned by the Emperor. Melin, Laraviniere and Binet, were
condemned to five years' imprisonment. The woman Bourget to twenty
years' imprisonment. Chargegrain and Rousseau were acquitted. Those who
escaped were all condemned to death, except the girl Godard, who was no
other, as you have probably guessed, than our poor Manon--"

"Manon!" exclaimed Godefroid.

"Oh! you don't know Manon yet," replied the kind old Alain. "That
devoted creature, condemned to twelve years' imprisonment, gave herself
up that she might take care of Madame de la Chanterie, and wait upon
her. Our dear vicar was the priest at Mortagne who gave the last
sacraments to the Baronne des Tours-Minieres; he had the courage to go
with her to the scaffold, and to him she gave her farewell kiss. That
courageous, noble priest had also accompanied the Chevalier du Vissard.
Our dear Abbe de Veze has therefore known all the secrets of those
days."

"I see why his hair is so white," said Godefroid.

"Alas! yes," said Alain. "He receiv