ou?"

Murphy retreated, and said, in a quick tone, and as if in spite of
himself, "My lord, my lord, _remember the thirteenth of January!_"

These words produced a magical effect on Rodolph. His countenance,
contracted by anger, now expanded. He looked at Murphy steadfastly,
bowed his head, and then, after a moment's silence, murmured, in
faltering accents, "Ah, sir, you are now cruel, indeed. I had thought
that my repentance--my deep remorse--and yet it is you--you--"

Rodolph could not finish; his voice was stifled; he sunk, subdued, on a
stone bench, and concealed his countenance with both his hands.

"My lord," said Murphy, in deep distress, "my good lord, forgive me!
Forgive your old and faithful Murphy. It was only when driven to an
extremity, and fearing, alas! not for myself, but for you, the
consequences of your passion, that I uttered those words. I said them in
spite of myself, and with sorrow. My lord, I was wrong to be so
sensitive. _Mon Dieu!_ who can know your character, your feelings, if I
do not,--I, who have never left you from your childhood! Pray, oh, pray
say that you forgive me for having called to your recollection that sad,
sad day. Alas! what expiations have you not made--"

Rodolph raised his head; he was very pale, and said to his companion, in
a gentle and saddened voice, "Enough, enough, my old friend; I thank you
for having, by one word, checked my headlong passion. I make no
apologies to you for the severe things I have said; you know well that
'it is a long way from the heart to the lips,' as the good people at
home say. I was wrong; let us say no more on the subject."

"Alas! now we shall be out of spirits for a long time, as if I were not
sufficiently unhappy! I only wished to see you roused from your low
spirits, and yet I add to them by my foolish tenaciousness. Good Heaven!
what's the use of being an honest man, and having gray hairs, if it does
not enable us to endure reproaches which we do not deserve?"

"Be it so, be it so; we were both in the wrong, my good friend," said
Rodolph, mildly; "let us forget it, and return to our former
conversation. You approved entirely of my establishment of this farm,
and the deep interest I have always felt in Madame Georges. You will
allow, won't you, that she had merited it by her excellent qualities,
her misfortunes, even if she did not belong to the family of
Harville,--a family to which my father had vowed eternal gratitude."

"I have