peless! only you must love your little Mary more
than ever. Will you not?"

"Yes; but why?"

"I must not worry you; and I must not wrong myself either--you know
why!"

"Yes; but I implore you, my darling, to tell me."

"Very well; I will tell you everything; but, mother, you must be brave
as I am."

She buried her head lower still on her mother's breast, and recounted
to her, in a low voice, without looking up once, the terrible revelation
which had been made to her, and which her husband's avowal had
confirmed.

Madame de Tecle did not once interrupt her during this cruel recital.
She only imprinted a kiss on her hair from time to time. The young
Countess, who did not dare to raise her eyes to her, as if she were
ashamed of another's crime, might have imagined that she had exaggerated
the gravity of her misfortune, since her mother had received the
confidence with so much calmness. But the calmness of Madame de Tecle
at this terrible moment was that of the martyrs; for all that could have
been suffered by the Christians under the claws of the tiger, or on
the rack of the torturer, this mother was suffering at the hands of her
best-beloved daughter. Her beautiful pale face--her large eyes upturned
to heaven, like those that artists give to the pure victims kneeling
in the Roman circus--seemed to ask God whether He really had any
consolation for such torture.

When she had heard all, she summoned strength to smile at her
daughter, who at last looked up to her with an expression of timid
uncertainty--embracing her more tightly still.

"Well, my darling," said she, at last, "it is a great affliction, it is
true. You are right, notwithstanding; there is nothing to despair of."

"Do you really believe so?"

"Certainly. There is some inconceivable mystery under all this; but be
assured that the evil is not so terrible as it appears."

"My poor mother! but he has acknowledged it?"

"I am better pleased that he has acknowledged it. That proves he has yet
some pride, and that some good is left in his soul. Then, too, he feels
very much afflicted--he suffers as much as we. Think of that. Let us
think of the future, my darling."

They clasped each other's hands, and smiled at each other to restrain
the tears which filled the eyes of both. After a few minutes--"I wish
much, my child," said Madame de Tecle, "to repose for half an hour; and
then also I wish to arrange my toilet."

"I will conduct you to your chambe