t the magistrate put an end to her
perplexity. "Ask the marquis to come up," he said to the servant.

The footman left the room; and, as soon as he had disappeared,
Mademoiselle Marguerite exclaimed: "What, monsieur! after all I have
told you, you still wish me to receive him?"

"It is absolutely necessary that you should do so. You must know what
he wishes and what hope brings him here. Calm yourself, and submit to
necessity."

In a sort of bewilderment, the girl hastily arranged her disordered
dress, and caught up her wavy hair which had fallen over her shoulders.
"Ah! monsieur," she remarked, "don't you understand that he still
believes me to be the count's heiress? In his eyes, I am still
surrounded by the glamor of the millions which are mine no longer."

"Hush! here he comes!"

The Marquis de Valorsay was indeed upon the threshold, and a moment
later he entered the room. He was clad with the exquisite taste of
those intelligent gentlemen to whom the color of a pair of trousers is
a momentous matter, and whose ambition is satisfied if they are regarded
as a sovereign authority respecting the cut of a waistcoat. As a rule,
his expression of face merely denoted supreme contentment with himself
and indifference as to others, but now, strange to say, he looked grave
and almost solemn. His right leg--the unfortunate limb which had been
broken when he fell from his horse in Ireland--seemed stiff, and dragged
a trifle more than usual, but this was probably solely due to the
influence of the atmosphere. He bowed to Mademoiselle Marguerite with
every mark of profound respect, and without seeming to notice the
magistrate's presence.

"You will excuse me, I trust, mademoiselle," said he, "in having
insisted upon seeing you, so that I might express my deep sympathy. I
have just heard of the terrible misfortune which has befallen you--the
sudden death of your father."

She drew back as if she were terrified, and repeated: "My father!"

The marquis did not evince the slightest surprise. "I know," said he, in
a voice which he tried to make as feeling as possible, "I know that
M. de Chalusse kept this fact concealed from you; but he confided his
secret to me."

"To you?" interrupted the magistrate, who was unable to restrain himself
any longer.

The marquis turned haughtily to this old man dressed in black, and in
the dry tone one uses in speaking to an indiscreet inferior, he replied:
"To me, yes, monsieur; and he ac