lt, I must ask M.
Ferrand for it. When I asked him, he shrugged up his shoulders, and said
I was crazy; so I did not dare say any more about it. Some time after
this, the misfortune about the diamond happened. My father in his
despair did not know what to do. I told Madame Seraphin of his distress,
and she replied; 'Monsieur is so charitable, perhaps he will do
something for your father.' The same afternoon, when I was waiting at
table, M. Ferrand said to me, suddenly, 'Your father is in want of
thirteen hundred francs; go and tell him to come to my office this
evening, and he shall have the money.' At this mark of kindness I burst
into tears, and did not know how to thank him, when he said, with his
usual bluntness, 'Very good, very good; oh, what I do is nothing!' The
same evening, after my work, I came to my father to tell him the good
news; the next day--"

"I had the thirteen hundred francs, giving him my acceptance in blank at
three months' date," said Morel. "I did like Louise, and wept with
gratitude, called this man my benefactor. Oh, what a wretch must he be
thus to destroy the gratitude and veneration I entertained for him!"

"This precaution of making you give him a blank acceptance, at a date
falling due so soon that you could not meet it, must have raised your
suspicion?" said Rodolph.

"No, sir, I only thought the notary took it for security, that was all;
besides, he told me that I need not think about repaying this sum in
less than two years; but that, every three months, the bill should be
renewed for the sake of greater regularity. It was, however, duly
presented here on the day it became due, but, as you may suppose, was
not paid. The usual course of law was followed up, and judgment was
obtained against me in the name of a third party. All this I was desired
not to feel any uneasiness respecting, as it had been caused by an error
on the part of the officer in whose hands the bill had been placed."

"His motive is very evident," said Rodolph; "he wished to have you
entirely in his power."

"Alas, sir, it was from the very day in which he obtained judgment that
he commenced! But, go on, Louise, go on. I scarcely know where I am. My
head seems giddy and bewildered, and at times my memory entirely fails
me. I fear my senses are leaving me, and that I shall become mad. Oh,
this is too much--too hard to bear!"

Rodolph having succeeded in tranquillising the lapidary, Louise thus
proceeded:

"With