of chairs,--the interview had ended. 'I do not ask the secret
of you,' said M. Ferrand, 'you behave to me as I behave to you.' 'Thus
we may mutually serve without any power mutually to injure each other,'
answered the voice. 'Observe my zeal! I received your letter at ten
o'clock last night, and here I am this morning. Good-by, accomplice; do
not forget the isle of Asnieres, the fisher Martial, and Doctor Vincent.
Thanks to these three magic words, your country damsel has only eight
days to look forward to.' 'Wait,' said M. Ferrand, 'whilst I go and undo
the safety-bolt, which I have drawn to in my closet, and let me look out
and see that there is no one in the antechamber, in order that you may
go out by the side path in the garden by which you entered.' M. Ferrand
went out for a moment, and then returned; and I heard him go away with
the person whose voice I did not know. You may imagine my fright, sir,
during this conversation, and my despair at having unintentionally
discovered such a secret. Two hours after this conversation, Madame
Seraphin came to me in my room, whither I had gone, trembling all over,
and worse than I had been yet. 'My master is inquiring for you,' said
she to me; 'you are better off than you deserve to be. Come, go
down-stairs. You are very pale; but what you are going to hear will give
you a colour.' I followed Madame Seraphin, and found M. Ferrand in his
private study. When I saw him, I shuddered in spite of myself, and yet
he did not look so disagreeable as usual. He looked at me steadfastly
for some time, as if he would read the bottom of my thoughts. I lowered
my eyes. 'You seem very ill?' he said. 'Yes, sir,' I replied, much
surprised at being thus addressed. 'It is easily accounted for,' added
he; 'it is the result of your condition and the efforts you make to
conceal it; but, in spite of your falsehoods, your bad conduct, and your
indiscretion yesterday,' he added, in a milder tone, 'I feel pity for
you. A few days more, and it will be impossible to conceal your
situation. Although I have treated you as you deserve before the curate
of the parish, such an event in the eyes of the world will be the
disgrace of a house like mine; and, moreover, your family will be deeply
distressed. Under these circumstances I will come to your aid.' 'Ah!
sir,' I cried, 'such kind words from you make me forget everything.'
'Forget what?' asked he, hastily. 'Nothing,--nothing,--forgive me, sir!'
I replied, fe