s well as their mother's--and I shall have my part in
every maternal care--and they will belong to us three; will they not,
Agricola?--Oh! let me, let me weep! These tears without bitterness do me
so much good; they are tears that need not be concealed. Thank heaven!
thank you, my friend! those other tears are I trust dried forever."

For some seconds, this affecting scene had been overlooked by an
invisible witness. The smith and Mother Bunch had not perceived Mdlle.
de Cardoville standing on the threshold of the door. As Mother Bunch
had said, this day, which dawned with all under such fatal auspices, had
become for all a day of ineffable felicity. Adrienne, too, was full of
joy, for Djalma had been faithful to her, Djalma loved her with passion.
The odious appearances, of which she had been the dupe and victim,
evidently formed part of a new plot of Rodin, and it only remained for
Mdlle. de Cardoville to discover the end of these machinations.

Another joy was reserved for her. The happy are quick in detecting
happiness in others, and Adrienne guessed, by the hunchback's last
words, that there was no longer any secret between the smith and the
sempstress. She could not therefore help exclaiming, as she entered:
"Oh! this will be the brightest day of my life, for I shall not be happy
alone!"

Agricola and Mother Bunch turned round hastily. "Lady," said the smith,
"in spite of the promise I made you, I could not conceal from Magdalen
that I knew she loved me!"

"Now that I no longer blush for this love before Agricola, why should I
blush for it before you, lady, that told me to be proud of it, because
it is noble and pure?" said Mother Bunch, to whom her happiness gave
strength enough to rise, and to lean upon Agricola's arm.

"It is well, my friend," said Adrienne, as she threw her arms round her
to support her; "only one word, to excuse the indiscretion with which
you will perhaps reproach me. If I told your secret to M. Agricola--"

"Do you know why it was, Magdalen?" cried the smith, interrupting
Adrienne. "It was only another proof of the lady's delicate generosity.
'I long hesitate to confide to you this secret,' said she to me this
morning, 'but I have at length made up my mind to it. We shall probably
find your adopted sister; you have been to her the best of brothers:
but many times, without knowing it, you have wounded her feelings
cruelly--and now that you know her secret, I trust in your kind heart to