his guests. In fact, he felt
oppressed almost to suffocation by the emotions he had undergone during
the last few hours. The dissimulation which prudence made a necessity and
honor a duty had aggravated the suffering by protracted concealment.

For some time Christian walked rapidly among the paths and trees in the
park. Bathing his burning brow in the cool night air, he sought to calm
the secret agitation and the boiling blood that were raging within him,
in the midst of which his reason struggled and fought like a ship about
to be wrecked. He used all his strength to recover his self-possession,
so as to be able to master the perils and troubles which surrounded him
with a calm if not indifferent eye; in one word, to regain that control
over himself that he had lost several times during the supper. His
efforts were not in vain. He contemplated his situation without weakness,
exaggeration, or anger, as if it concerned another. Two facts rose
foremost before him, one accomplished, the other uncertain. On one side,
murder, on the other, adultery. No human power could remedy the first or
prevent its consequences; he accepted it, then, but turn his mind away
from it he must, in the presence of this greater disaster. So far, only
presumptions existed against Clemence--grave ones, to be sure, if one
added Lambernier's revelations to Marillac's strangely indiscreet
remarks. It was his first duty to himself, as well as to her, to know the
whole truth; if innocent, he would beg her forgiveness; if guilty, he had
a chastisement to inflict.

"It is an abyss," thought he, "and I may find as much blood as mud at the
bottom of it. No matter, I will descend to its very depths."

When he returned to the chateau, his face had resumed its usual calm
expression. The most observing person would hardly have noticed any
change in his looks. The dining-room had been abandoned at last. The
victorious and the vanquished had retired to their rooms. First of all,
he went up to the artist's apartment, so that no singularity in his
conduct should attract attention, for, as master of the house, a visit to
one of his guests who had fallen dead, or nearly so, at his own table was
a positive duty. The attentions lavished upon Marillac by his friend had
removed the danger which might have resulted from his imprudent excesses
in drinking, and the sort of poisoning with which he had crowned the
whole. He lay upon his bed in the same position in which h