u?" said
Rodolph to him in a low voice.

These words made a sudden and painful impression on Morel, and he cast
his eyes on his weeping child still on her knees before him; then, with
a searching look, impossible to describe, he cried in a hollow voice,
clenching his teeth with rage:

"The notary?"

An answer came to Louise's lips. She was about to speak, but paused,--no
doubt a reflection,--and, bending down her head, remained silent.

"No, no; he sought to imprison me this morning!" continued Morel, with a
violent burst. "Can it be he? Ah, so much the better, so much the
better! She has not even an excuse for her crime; she never thought of
me in her dishonour, and I may curse her without remorse."

"No, no; do not curse me, my father! I will tell you all,--to you alone,
and you will see--you will see whether or not I deserve your
forgiveness."

"For pity's sake, hear her!" said Rodolph to him.

"What will she tell me,--her infamy? That will soon be public, and I can
wait till then."

"Sir," said Louise, addressing the magistrate, "for pity's sake, leave
me alone with my father, that I may say a few words to him before I
leave him, perhaps for ever; and before you, also, our benefactor, I
will speak; but only before you and my father."

"Be it so," said the magistrate.

"Will you be pitiless, and refuse this last consolation to your child?"
asked Rodolph of Morel. "If you think you owe me any gratitude for the
kindness which I have been enabled to show you, consent to your
daughter's entreaties."

After a moment's sad and angry silence, Morel replied:

"I will."

"But where shall we go!" inquired Rodolph; "your family are in the other
room."

"Where shall we go," exclaimed the lapidary, with a bitter irony, "where
shall we go? Up above,--up above, into the garret, by the side of the
body of my dead daughter; that spot will well suit a confession, will it
not? Come along, come, and we will see if Louise will dare to tell a lie
in the presence of her sister's corpse. Come! Come along!"

And Morel went out hastily with a wild air, and turning his face from
Louise.

"Sir," said the commissary to Rodolph, in an undertone, "I beg you for
this poor man's sake not to protract this conversation. You were right
when you said his reason was touched; just now his look was that of a
madman."

"Alas, sir, I am equally fearful with yourself of some fresh and
terrible disaster! I will abridge as much as I can