o her, in alarm. "Oh!" she cried, in a voice stifled by tears,
"the mortification! The deep humiliation! Has it been reserved for me
to undergo this in my old age? Have I ever been frivolous, like some of
the foolish young creatures? Are words, spoken half in jest, to be
found capable of such a terrible interpretation? Am I, who have been
faithful to all that is pure and good from my childhood, to be made
virtually an accomplice in the crimes of this terrible confederation?"

She held her handkerchief to her eyes, so that Baptiste and La
Martiniere, altogether at sea in their anxious conjectures, felt
powerless to set about helping her, who was so dear to them, as the
best and kindest of mistresses, in her bitter affliction.

La Martiniere picked up the paper from the floor. On it was written--

"Un amant qui craint les voleurs
N'est point digne d'amour."

"Your brilliant intellect, most honoured lady, has delivered us, who
exercise, on weakness and cowardice, the rights of the stronger, and
possess ourselves of treasures which would otherwise be unworthily
wasted, from much bitter persecution. As a proof of our gratitude, be
pleased to kindly accept this set of ornaments. It is the most valuable
that we have been enabled to lay hands on for many a day. Although far
more beautiful and precious jewels ought to adorn you, yet we pray you
not to deprive us of your future protection and remembrance.--THE
INVISIBLES."

"Is it possible," cried Mademoiselle Scuderi, when she had partially
recovered herself, "that shameless wickedness and abandoned insult can
be carried further by human beings?" The sun was shining brightly
through the window curtains of crimson silk, and consequently the
brilliants, which were lying on the table beside the open casket, were
flashing a rosy radiance. Looking at them, Mademoiselle Scuderi covered
her face in horror, and ordered La Martiniere instantly to take those
terrible jewels away, steeped, as they seemed to be, in the blood of
the murdered. La Martiniere, having at once put the necklace and
bracelets back into their case, thought the best thing to do would be
to give them to the Minister of Police, and tell him all that had
happened.

Mademoiselle Scuderi rose, and walked up and down slowly and in
silence, as if considering what it was best to do. Then she told
Baptiste to bring a sedan chair, and La Martiniere to dress her, as she
was going straight to the Ma