dreaming; but his soul, crushed by the horrible tension of recent
emotions, had a moment's respite, and drank in, almost without alloy,
the new calm that surrounded him. He hastily dressed himself and
descended to the garden, where his son ran to meet him.

M. de Camors embraced the child with tenderness; and leaning toward him,
spoke to him in a low voice, and asked after his mother and about his
amusements, with a singularly soft and sad manner. Then he let him go,
and walked with a slow step, breathing the fresh morning air, examining
the leaves and the flowers with extraordinary interest. From time to
time a deep, sad sigh broke from his oppressed chest; he passed his hand
over his brow as if to efface the importunate images. He sat down amid
the quaintly clipped boxwood which ornamented the garden in the antique
fashion, called his son again to him, held him between his knees,
interrogating him again, in a low voice, as he had done before; then
drew him toward him and clasped him tightly for a long time, as if to
draw into his own heart the innocence and peace of the child's. Madame
de Camors surprised him in this gush of feeling, and remained mute with
astonishment. He rose immediately and took her hand.

"How well you bring him up!" he said. "I thank you for it. He will be
worthy of you and of your mother."

She was so surprised at the soft, sad tone of his voice, that she
replied, stammering with embarrassment, "And worthy of you also, I
hope."

"Of me?" said Camors, whose lips were slightly tremulous. "Poor child, I
hope not!" and rapidly withdrew.

Madame de Camors and Madame de Tecle had learned, the previous morning,
of the death of the General. The evening of the Count's arrival they
did not speak to him on the subject, and were cautious not to make any
allusion to it. The next day, and the succeeding ones, they
practised the same reserve, though very far from suspecting the fatal
circumstances which rendered this souvenir so painful to M. de Camors.
They thought it only natural he should be pained at so sudden a
catastrophe, and that his conscience should be disturbed; but they were
astonished when this impression prolonged itself from day to day, until
it took the appearance of a lasting sentiment.

They began to believe that there had arisen between Madame de Campvallon
and himself, probably occasioned by the General's death, some quarrel
which had weakened the tie between them.

A journey of twe