ake me believe
that you are able to penetrate into all the hidden depths of the
heart."

"You were thinking just now," said Edmond:--

"Let him take his course, the evil must now have reached its height,
perhaps God wills that he should find at length by this more than
wonderful means, his salvation, and that he may learn later to cool by
reason and true christian humility, the fanaticism, that now transform
him into a lunatic. Thus do you think of me, thus do you deny the
spirit." "My son," said the old man with uplifted looks, "is it a good
spirit that prompts you? is it not perhaps the wild wandering of nature
herself in you that transports you beyond her own limits?"

The son cast again that terrifying look on his father, which rendered
him mute.

"You are free," said the old man, "affection alone, not force should
retain you. Go then and follow the dictates of your own heart. My
prayers shall accompany you, and, may be, they will have the power to
mitigate, or ward off the worst."

"Surely you are not opposed to my taking to my poor brethren my small
fortune," said Edmond perfectly tranquillised, "they are more in need
of it than we."

"Take also this purse from me," said the father, "I desire not to know
to what purpose you destine it, but the unfortunate men yonder are in
want of it."

"Franz is coming!" exclaimed Edmond; "Where?" enquired the
Counsellor:--"He is still far behind the mountains, I see him only with
my inward eyes. The over-cautious old man! he has hidden the letter in
his boot, there he is leaning against an old tree, and is pulling it
out. I could read the letter to you if I liked, but I perceive that it
contains good news for you, let that suffice. Permit me now to go,
before the old man returns to oppress my heart anew with his
lamentations, or to excite my anger."

Father and son long held each other closely embraced; the old Lord
seemed overpowered with grief and tears; Edmond gently disengaged
himself from his paternal arms, returned once more and kissed his
father. With hasty steps he traversed the garden and ascended the
vineyard; there he stood still once more, and from thence waved a
handkerchief downwards in salutation, while Franz issued from the wood
ou the opposite side and held up the letters exultingly in the
distance.

CHAPTER VIII.

The mountains and the country around were by this time filled with new
tidings that contained rep