e as imperious
and irresistible as a divine law. Camors soon reached the house, and
receiving some information from the servants, notified Madame de
Tecle of his arrival. Madame de Tecle immediately descended from her
daughter's room. On seeing her convulsed features and streaming eyes,
"Are you alarmed?" Camors asked, quickly.

"Alarmed? No," she replied; "but she suffers much, and it is very long."

"Can I see her?"

There was a moment's silence.

Madame de Tecle, whose forehead was contracted, lowered her eyes, then
raised them. "If you insist on it," she said.

"I insist on nothing! If you believe my presence would do her harm--"
The voice of Camors was not as steady as usual.

"I am afraid," replied Madame de Tecle, "that it would agitate her
greatly; and if you will have confidence in me, I shall be much obliged
to you."

"But at least," said Camors, "she might probably be glad to know that I
have come, and that I am here--that I have not abandoned her."

"I shall tell her."

"It is well." He saluted Madame de Tecle with a slight movement of his
head, and turned away immediately.

He entered the garden at the back of the house, and walked abstractedly
from alley to alley. We know that generally the role of men in the
situation in which M. de Camors at this moment was placed is not very
easy or very glorious; but the common annoyance of this position was
particularly aggravated to him by painful reflections. Not only was his
assistance not needed, but it was repelled; not only was he far from a
support on the contrary, he was but an additional danger and sorrow.
In this thought was a bitterness which he keenly felt. His native
generosity, his humanity, shuddered as he heard the terrible cries and
accents of distress which succeeded each other without intermission.
He passed some heavy hours in the damp garden this cold night, and the
chilly morning which succeeded it. Madame de Tecle came frequently to
give him the news. Near eight o'clock he saw her approach him with a
grave and tranquil air.

"Monsieur," she said, "it is a boy."

"I thank you. How is she?"

"Well. I shall request you to go and see her shortly."

Half an hour later she reappeared on the threshold of the vestibule, and
called:

"Monsieur de Camors!" and when he approached her, she added, with an
emotion which made her lips tremble:

"She has been uneasy for some time past. She is afraid that you have
kept terms with her in ord