give assistance to your sister: would he have wilfully laid open to you
his secret interviews with the Abbe d'Aigrigny? It would have been bad
policy in a traitor."

"That is true, and the same reflection occurred to me. And yet the
meeting of these two men appeared so dangerous to you, madame, that I
returned home full of terror."

Characters of extreme honesty are very hard to convince of the treachery
of others: the more infamous the deception, the more they are inclined
to doubt it. Adrienne was one of these characters, rectitude being a
prime quality of her mind. Though deeply impressed by the communication,
she remarked: "Come, my dear, do not let us frighten ourselves too soon,
or be over-hasty in believing evil. Let us try to enlighten ourselves by
reasoning, and first of all remember facts. M. Rodin opened for me the
doors of Dr. Baleinier's asylum; in my presence, he brought, his charge
against the Abbe d'Aigrigny; he forced the superior of the convent
to restore Marshal Simon's daughters, he succeeded in discovering the
retreat of Prince Djalma--he faithfully executed my intentions with
regard to my young cousin; only yesterday, he gave me the most useful
advice. All this is true--is it not?"

"Certainly, madame."

"Now suppose that M. Rodin, putting things in their worst light,
had some after-thought--that he hopes to be liberally rewarded, for
instance; hitherto, at least, he has shown complete disinterestedness."

"That also is true, madame," said poor Mother Bunch, obliged, like
Adrienne, to admit the evidence of fixed facts.

"Now let us look to the possibility of treachery. Unite with the Abbe
d'Aigrigny to betray me! Betray me?--how? and for what purpose? What
have I to fear? Is it not the Abbe d'Aigrigny, on the contrary, is
it not Madame de Saint-Dizier, who have to render an account for the
injuries they have done me?"

"But, then, madame, how do you explain the meeting of these two men,
who have so many motives for mutual aversion? May there not be some dark
project still behind? Besides, madame, I am not the only one to think
so."

"How is that?"

"This morning, on my return, I was so much agitated, that Mdlle. Florine
asked me the cause of my trouble. I know, madame, how much she is
devoted to you."

"Nobody could be more so; only recently, you yourself informed me of the
signal service she rendered, during my confinement at Dr. Baleinier's."

"Well, madame, this morning, on my retu