y's humble and obscure secretary. From the door,
Rodin, who was very shabbily dressed, as usual, pointed out Mdlle.
de Cardoville to the magistrate, by a gesture at once respectful and
compassionate. Then, while the latter, who had not been able to repress
a movement of admiration at sight of the rare beauty of Adrienne, seemed
to examine her with as much surprise as interest, the Jesuit modestly
receded several steps.

Dr. Baleinier in his extreme astonishment, hoping to be understood by
Rodin, made suddenly several private signals, as if to interrogate him
on the cause of the magistrate's visit. But this was only productive of
fresh amazement to M. Baleinier; for Rodin did not appear to recognize
him, or to understand his expressive pantomime, and looked at him with
affected bewilderment. At length, as the doctor, growing impatient,
redoubled his mute questionings, Rodin advanced with a stride, stretched
forward his crooked neck, and said, in a loud voice: "What is your
pleasure, doctor?"

These words, which completely disconcerted Baleinier, broke the silence
which had reigned for some seconds, and the magistrate turned round.
Rodin added, with imperturbable coolness: "Since our arrival, the doctor
has been making all sorts of mysterious signs to me. I suppose he has
something private to communicate, but, as I have no secrets, I must beg
him to speak out loud."

This reply, so embarrassing for M. Baleinier, uttered in a tone of
aggression, and with an air of icy coldness, plunged the doctor into
such new and deep amazement, that he remained for some moments without
answering. No doubt the magistrate was struck with this incident, and
with the silence which followed it, for he cast a look of great severity
on the doctor. Mdlle. de Cardoville, who had expected to have seen M. de
Montbron, was also singularly surprised.

CHAPTER XXXIII. THE ACCUSER.

Baleinier, disconcerted for a moment by the unexpected presence of a
magistrate, and by Rodin's inexplicable attitude, soon recovered his
presence of mind, and addressing his colleague of the longer robe, said
to him: "If I make signs to you, sir, it was that, while I wished
to respect the silence which this gentleman"--glancing at the
magistrate--"has preserved since his entrance, I desired to express my
surprise at the unexpected honor of this visit."

"It is to the lady that I will explain the reason for my silence, and
beg her to excuse it," replied the mag