gistrate, and comes to
deliver me. I pity you, sir--both you and yours," added Adrienne, with
an accent of bitter irony.

"Madame," cried M. Baleinier, no longer able to dissemble his growing
alarm, "I repeat to you, take care! Remember what I have told you. Your
accusations would necessarily involve the discovery of what took place
the other night. Beware! the fate of the soldier and his son is in your
hands. Recollect they are in danger of the convict's chains."

"Oh! I am not your dupe, sir. You are holding out a covert menace.
Have at least the courage to say to me, that, if I complain to the
magistrates, you will denounce the soldier and his son."

"I repeat, that, if you make any complaint, those two people are lost,"
answered the doctor, ambiguously.

Startled by what was really dangerous in the doctor's threats, Adrienne
asked: "Sir, if this magistrate questions me, do you think I will tell
him a falsehood?"

"You will answer what is true," said M. Baleinier, hastily, in the hope
of still attaining his end. "You will answer that you were in so excited
a state of mind a few days ago, that it was thought advisable, for your
own sake, to bring you hither, without your knowing it. But you are now
so much better, that you acknowledge the utility of the measures taken
with regard to you. I will confirm these words for, after all, it is the
truth."

"Never!" cried Mdlle. de Cardoville, with indignation, "never will I be
the accomplice of so infamous a falsehood; never will I be base enough
to justify the indignities that I have suffered!"

"Here is the magistrate," said M. Baleinier, as he caught the sound of
approaching footsteps. "Beware!"

The door opened, and, to the indescribable amazement of the doctor,
Rodin appeared on the threshold, accompanied by a man dressed in
black, with a dignified and severe countenance. In the interest of his
projects, and from motives of craft and prudence that will hereafter be
known, Rodin had not informed Father d'Aigrigny, and consequently
the doctor, of the unexpected visit he intended to pay to the asylum,
accompanied by a magistrate. On the contrary, he had only the day before
given orders to M. Baleinier to confine Mdlle. de Cardoville still more
strictly. Therefore, imagine the stupor of the doctor when he saw the
judicial officer, whose unexpected presence and imposing aspect were
otherwise sufficiently alarming, enter the room, accompanied by Rodin,
Abbe d'Aigrign