, but he found that his
reason was clear and distinct. Those who have been accustomed to the
treatment of maniacs know with what startling rapidity they form a chain
of action, and the cloud that veiled Norbert's brain appeared to throw
out into stronger relief the murderous determination he had formed. He
had already decided how the deed was to be done. The common wine of the
country was always served to the laborers at the table, but the Duke
kept a better quality for his own drinking, and the bottle containing
this was after meals placed on a shelf in a cupboard in the dining-room.
It was thus within every one's reach, but not a soul in the household
would have ventured to lay a finger upon it. Norbert's thoughts fell
upon this bottle, and in his mind's eye he could see it standing in its
accustomed place. He crossed the courtyard, and the laborers, engaged
in their tasks, gazed at him curiously. He passed them, and entered the
dining-room, which was untenanted. With a caution that was not to
be expected from the agitation of his mind, he opened each door
successively, in order to be certain that no eyes were gazing upon him.
Then, with the greatest rapidity, he took down the bottle, drew the cork
with his teeth, and dropped into the wine, not one, but two or three
pinches of the contents of the little vial. He shook the bottle gently,
to facilitate the dissolution of the powder. A few particles of the
poison clung to the lip of the bottle; he wiped off these, not with a
napkin, a pile of which lay on the shelf beside him, but with his
own handkerchief. He replaced the bottle in its accustomed place, and
seating himself by the fire, awaited the course of events.

At this moment the Duke de Champdoce was coming up the avenue at a rapid
pace. For the first time, perhaps, in his life, this man perceived that
one of his last acts had been insensate and foolish in the extreme. All
the possibilities of the law to which Daumon had alluded struck the Duke
with over-whelming force, and he at once saw that his violent conduct
had given ample grounds upon which to base a plaint, with results which
he greatly feared. If the court entertained the matter, his son would
most likely be removed from his control. He knew that such an idea would
never cross Norbert's brain, but there were plenty of persons to suggest
it to him. The danger of his position occurred to him, and at the
same time he felt that he must frame his future conduct