own, like
Caesar in his robe passing through the midst of the conspirators,
he proceeded past the doors of the offices occupied by the various
crown officials. None spoke to the old man, he spoke to none, but
his breast burned in agony, and a cloud was on his brow, like the
smoke that wreathes around the crater of a volcano. His eyes seemed
to shoot forth sparks, and his lips were muttering. Anger and sorrow
were upon his face, but, turning a corner in the building, he was
now hidden from the view of the multitude, and strode along the
main corridor towards the huge double staircase that, midway therein,
wound down to the dim entrance hall, that was divided by ponderous
doors from the esplanade between the building and the busy street.
A low, massive balustrade guarded the bridge-like portion of the
corridor that hung between the heads of the twin flights of stairs,
and whence, on looking down, was seen the paved abyss below.
Approaching this part, what did he behold but the truant Narcisse,
unconscious of his presence, ascending one of these flights of
stairs. At the sight of him the gloomy elements of his soul seemed
to flash within him and explode, rending all resolution of restraint,
and leaving him a puppet of some destructive power, as he stood
eyeing his son's approach, as the cat eyes that of the marauding
mouse, motionless, allowing the culprit to draw near, until,
detected, he stood, too nigh to retreat, too terrified to advance,
and, as the fascinated bird drops into the open jaws of the serpent,
fell resistless into the grasp of the advocate's extended hand.
Then, as the firedamp when met by the miner's candle must explode,
or as the liberated lightning must rend the cloud, though the latter
be near Jove's throne, so the frenzied father, regardless, nay,
forgetful, of the place, the time, the occasion, of himself and
natural ties, assailed the scared Narcisse, clutching him by the
throat with the strength of a maniac, and pushing him backwards
against the balustrade, and holding him there transfixed, while,
with eyes seething with wrath beneath the blanched, and big,
umbrageous brows, and showing like a sudden opening of the infernal
pit, he cried: "Demon, degenerate dog, where hast thou been walking
to and fro in the earth? whom helping to devour? Ah, son of Satan,
ah! Aroint thee, Imp, Abortion."

[Illustration: "Demon! degenerate dog! where hast thou been walking
to and fro on the earth?"]

The astoni