maxim which is about to be revealed."

Five o'clock struck with a noise which resounded sadly in
Gerande's soul, and these words appeared in red letters:

"YOU MUST EAT OF THE FRUITS OF THE TREE OF SCIENCE."

Aubert and Gerande looked at each other stupefied. These were no
longer the pious sayings of the Catholic watchmaker. The breath
of Satan must have passed over it. But Zacharius paid no
attention to this, and resumed--

"Dost thou hear, my Gerande? I live, I still live! Listen to my
breathing,--see the blood circulating in my veins! No, thou
wouldst not kill thy father, and thou wilt accept this man for
thy husband, so that I may become immortal, and at last attain
the power of God!"

At these blasphemous words old Scholastique crossed herself, and
Pittonaccio laughed aloud with joy.

"And then, Gerande, thou wilt be happy with him. See this man,--he
is Time! Thy existence will be regulated with absolute
precision. Gerande, since I gave thee life, give life to thy
father!"

[Illustration: "See this man,--he is Time!"]

"Gerande," murmured Aubert, "I am thy betrothed."

"He is my father!" replied Gerande, fainting.

"She is thine!" said Master Zacharius. "Pittonaccio, them wilt
keep thy promise!"

"Here is the key of the clock," replied the horrible man.

Master Zacharius seized the long key, which resembled an uncoiled
snake, and ran to the clock, which he hastened to wind up with
fantastic rapidity. The creaking of the spring jarred upon the
nerves. The old watchmaker wound and wound the key, without
stopping a moment, and it seemed as if the movement were beyond
his control. He wound more and more quickly, with strange
contortions, until he fell from sheer weariness.

"There, it is wound up for a century!" he cried.

Aubert rushed from the hall as if he were mad. After long
wandering, he found the outlet of the hateful chateau, and
hastened into the open air. He returned to the hermitage of
Notre-Dame-du-Sex, and talked so despairingly to the holy
recluse, that the latter consented to return with him to the
chateau of Andernatt.

If, during these hours of anguish, Gerande had not wept, it was
because her tears were exhausted.

Master Zacharius had not left the hall. He ran every moment to
listen to the regular beating of the old clock.

Meanwhile the clock had struck, and to Scholastique's great
terror, these words had appeared on the silver face:--"MAN OUGHT
TO BECOME THE EQUAL OF GOD."