half an hour he will leave this house."

"The Schoolmaster?"

"Yes."

"Without _gens-d'armes_?"

"Yes."

"_He_ will go out from here, and free?"

"Free."

"And quite alone?"

"Quite alone."

"But he will go--"

"Wherever he likes," said Rodolph, interrupting the Chourineur with a
meaning smile.

The black returned.

"Well, David, well, and how is Murphy?"

"He sleeps, my lord," said the doctor, despondingly; "his respiration is
very difficult."

"Not out of danger?"

"His case is very critical, my lord; yet there is hope."

"Oh, Murphy! vengeance! vengeance!" exclaimed Rodolph, in a tone of
concentrated rage. Then he added, "David, a word--"

And he whispered something in the ear of the black. He started back.

"Do you hesitate?" said Rodolph. "Yet I have often suggested this idea
to you; the moment is come to put it into practice."

"I do not hesitate, my lord; the suggestion is well worthy the
consideration of the most elevated jurists, for this punishment is at
the same time terrible and yet fruitful for repentance. In this case it
is most applicable. Without enumerating the crimes which have
accumulated to send this wretch to the Bagne for his life, he has
committed three murders,--the cattle-dealer, Murphy, and yourself; it is
in his case justice--"

"He will have before him an unlimited horizon for expiation," added
Rodolph. After a moment's silence he resumed: "And five thousand francs
will suffice, David?"

"Amply, my lord."

"My good fellow," said Rodolph to the bewildered Chourineur, "I have two
words to say to M. David; will you go into that chamber on the other
side, where you will see a large red pocketbook on a bureau; open it and
take out five notes of a thousand francs each, and bring them to me."

"And," inquired the Chourineur, involuntarily, "who are those five
thousand francs for?"

"For the Schoolmaster. And do you, at the same time, tell them to bring
him in here."

CHAPTER XVII.

THE PUNISHMENT.

The scene we are about to describe took place in a room hung with red,
and brilliantly lighted. Rodolph, clothed in a long dressing-gown of
black velvet, which increased the pallor of his features, was seated
before a large table covered with a green cloth. On this table was the
Schoolmaster's pocketbook, the pinchbeck chain of the Chouette (to which
was suspended the little Saint Esprit of lapis lazuli), the
blood-stained stiletto with which Murphy had been