sound in her throat like the growl of a tigress she rose to her feet;
she seemed as if she would tear Castanier in pieces.

"You know me too well to believe it," Castanier retorted. Aquilina was
benumbed by his coolness.

"Then how do you know it?" she murmured.

"I did not know it until I went into the drawing-room; now I know
it--now I see and know all things, and can do all things."

The sergeant was overcome with amazement.

"Very well then, save him, save him, dear!" cried the girl, flinging
herself at Castanier's feet. "If nothing is impossible to you, save him!
I will love you, I will adore you, I will be your slave and not your
mistress. I will obey your wildest whims; you shall do as you will
with me. Yes, yes, I will give you more than love; you shall have a
daughter's devotion as well as... Rodolphe! why will you not understand!
After all, however violent my passions may be, I shall be yours for
ever! What should I say to persuade you? I will invent pleasures... I...
Great heavens! one moment! whatever you shall ask of me--to fling myself
from the window for instance--you will need to say but one word, 'Leon!'
and I will plunge down into hell. I would bear any torture, any pain of
body or soul, anything you might inflict upon me!"

Castanier heard her with indifference. For an answer, he indicated Leon
to her with a fiendish laugh.

"The guillotine is waiting for him," he repeated.

"No, no, no! He shall not leave this house. I will save him!" she cried.
"Yes; I will kill any one who lays a finger upon him! Why will you not
save him?" she shrieked aloud; her eyes were blazing, her hair unbound.
"Can you save him?"

"I can do everything."

"Why do you not save him?"

"Why?" shouted Castanier, and his voice made the ceiling ring.--"Eh! it
is my revenge! Doing evil is my trade!"

"Die?" said Aquilina; "must he die, my lover? Is it possible?"

She sprang up and snatched a stiletto from a basket that stood on the
chest of drawers and went to Castanier, who now began to laugh.

"You know very well that steel cannot hurt me now----"

Aquilina's arm suddenly dropped like a snapped harp string.

"Out with you, my good friend," said the cashier, turning to the
sergeant, "and go about your business."

He held out his hand; the other felt Castanier's superior power, and
could not choose but to obey.

"This house is mine; I could send for the commissary of police if I
chose, and give you up as a ma