was Madelon's
love, and it was only in her presence that I succeeded in totally
suppressing all external signs of the nameless trouble and anxiety I
had in my heart. When I was working with the old man in the shop, I
could never look him in the face; and I was hardly able to speak a
word, owing to the awful dread with which I trembled whenever near the
villain, who fulfilled all the duties of a faithful and tender father,
and of a good citizen, whilst the night veiled his monstrous iniquity.
Madelon, dutiful, pure, confiding as an angel, clung to him with
idolatrous affection. The thought often struck like a dagger to my
heart that, if justice should one day overtake the reprobate and unmask
him, she, deceived by the diabolical arts of the foul Fiend, would
assuredly die in the wildest agonies of despair. This alone would keep
my lips locked, even though it brought upon me a criminal's death.
Notwithstanding that I picked up a good deal of information from the
talk of the _Marechaussee_ yet the motive for Cardillac's atrocities,
as well as his manner of accomplishing them, still remained riddles to
me; but I had not long to wait for the solution.

"One day Cardillac was very grave and preoccupied over his work,
instead of being in the merriest of humours, jesting and laughing as he
usually did, and so provoking my abhorrence of him. All of a sudden he
threw aside the ornament he was working at, so that the pearls and
other stones rolled across the floor, and starting to his feet he
exclaimed, 'Olivier, things can't go on in this way between us; the
footing we are now on is getting unbearable. Chance has played into
your hands the knowledge of a secret which has baffled the most
inventive cunning of Desgrais and all his myrmidons. You have seen me
at my midnight work, to which I am goaded by my evil destiny; no
resistance is ever of any avail. And your evil destiny it was which led
you to follow me, which wrapped you in an impenetrable veil and gave
you the lightness of foot which, enabled you to walk as noiselessly as
the smallest insect, so that I, who in the blackest night see as
plainly as a tiger and hear the slightest noise, the humming of midges,
far away along the streets, did not perceive you near me. Your evil
star has brought you to me, my associate. As you are now circumstanced
there can be no thought of treachery on your part, and so you may now
know all.' 'Never, never will I be your associate, you hypocri