white, and pale blue eyes, almost round; her speech honeyed,

man is the Viscount de

d, when the vi

, let us talk of busin

shed to consult me o

olidori referred me to you? Apropos, have you heard f

notary had seen Polidori recently (one of his two accomplices), and had proposed to him to go to Asnieres, to the Martials, the freshwater pirates (of whom we shall speak presently), under the

ubled; my husband is sick-he grows worse daily. Without causing me serious fears, his c

s the m

of his final arrangem

er face in her handker

ary; "but this precaution is not alarm

well, when he touches on

said nothi

manner, "I believe he wishes not only to give me all the la

all we s

which brought me here. Well, D'Orbigny carries his kindness so far as to

a magnificent property. You know my roughness in business. It imports little to me that M. d'Harville is my client; that which I plead is the cause of justice. If your husband takes to

t as you have said: 'Your daughter has treated you bad

right; and what

t leave the rest to you, my tender friend, the sole support, the sole consolation of my old age, my guardian angel?' I repeat these too flattering words," said Madam

ot know M.

ery one else, kn

d he addres

finds your delicacy compromised by your acceptance of my offer, we will talk no more about it; if not, you acquiesce.' 'I consent,' said I, and in this way you have become our arbitrator. 'If he approves,' add

tacles than at this moment. Without them, Madame d'Orbigny

h time that I have been chosen an arbiter, always under pretext of my probity; that is the on

l write to M. d'Orbigny; he awaits your letter,

much

it was about four or fiv

ted yourself to M. d'Orbigny. His daughter is very rich-you have n

ike every one else, of the proverbial honesty of the n

accept,

n," said Madame d'O

the door. "Who is i

p, the Count

wait a

d'Orbigny; "you will write to my husband, since he de

ll wr

orthy and go

h deposits-the responsibility which bears on us. I tell you there is nothing more det

iration of g

an here below the recompense I seek fo

y succeeded Counte

ignorant of the object of her visit. He observed her very closely, in the hope to make a new dupe; and, notwithstanding t

You asked for a meeting, madame, yesterday. I was so much occupied that I cou

greatest importance. Your reputation has made m

ir. "I know, sir, that your

y duty,

a rigid and inc

ed, ma

you to restore life-more than life-reason to an unh

, madame, I

ame to propose to you to take, for an annuity, the sum of one hundred and fifty tho

said the notary, avo

francs. The one-half of this amount was to be added to the capital until its majority; the

nue, m

out being able to conquer a slight emotion,

ion, madame, I shall ask you what

he publication of the death of this poor little thing, the letters from the person who had car

these pape

word, Sarah drew from a portfolio several

ty thousand crowns became the property of M. Petit Jean, my client, by the death of th

sed to acknowledge it. The woman to whom the child was confided has also a ri

h her conduct, that, after the death of the chil

n is in your

n years, as

will grant a demand which will appear strange, perhaps, even cu

ot think you are any more capable

ld address such a request; but I place all my hopes-my sole

, ma

such a state, her grief is as poignant at the present day as it was fourteen ye

" said Ferran

e lost her; while now circumstances are such, that my sister, if her child still lived, could own her, be pro

nothing can be

, y

, ma

her. 'Your child was supposed to be dead; she is not;

ruel, madame. Why cause vain

od, sir; or, rather, if this s

ayers joined to yours, I would pray from the bottom o

is dead: and yet, if you wish i

n enigma

s. My niece died at six years. Separated from her parents at this tender age, they have no recollection of her. Suppose that a young girl of seventeen could be found; that my sister should be told, 'Her

without interrupting her, rose suddenly, and cried, in an in

ir

al action! It is the first time in my life that I have recei

tterly the child they have lost; to deceive them is to restore to them happiness-life; it is to assu

sing indignation, "I see how the most

ref

shame to see a woman of your rank contriving such abo

ir

am not a gallant, not I.

ne of her dark looks, and

insult,

e ca

rea

ey will not be in vain, learn, in the

, mad

mother of

ou

u. You are without pity: I raise the

o lend myself to a crimi

putation as an honest man i

lost your reason before you would ha

pect these reputations of such strict virtue, which often co

to say thi

do not know wherefore, I doubted that you deser

doubt does honor to

othing-on mere instinct-on inexplicable present

this conversa

r, I will pretend she is not dead; the most unlikely events are often brought about. You are at this moment in such a position th

ou

e the greatest interest in having it believed that she still lives, although lost, this process will serve me in giving much notoriety to this affair; a mother

wicked. Why should I? F

ld is dead, if

are plenty. But a thought! ah! an excellent one: wishing to divide with your cl

d his shoulders. "If I had been criminal enough to do th

ation: T

ather of my child would not discuss the probability of such a resurrection, if our falsehoods, which will render him so happy, are adroitly combined. He has, besides, no other proofs of the death of our child, than what I wrote to him fourteen years since; it will be easy for me to persuade him that I deceived him on this subject; for then I had just cause of complaint against him. I will tell him that in my anger I wi

efore. He was too cunning, and knew too well the perils of his situation, not to comprehend the bearing of Sarah's threats. Although admirably constructed, the edifice of the notary's reputation was built on sand. The public as easily detach as they attach themselves,

and in their vengeance. Wishing to give himself time to seek some means to avoid the dangerous blow, Ferrand said coldly to Sarah, "You have asked until noon to-morrow. It is I, madame, who give you until the next day to renounce a project, of which you know not the

I grant it to you. The day after to-morrow, at this hour, I will return here, and it shall be between

position of mind, that he will not desire anything better than to be the dupe of a falsehood, to which, with the aid of the notary, I can give every appearance of truth? And the notary will assist me for I have alarmed him. I can easily find a young orphan girl, interesting and poor who, instructed by me, will fill the part of our child, so bitterly regretted by Rudolph. I know the grandeur and generosity of his heart. Yes, to give a name and rank to