ay
your father's tenderness be once more free from sorrow and regret!--That
happy day is perhaps not so far distant. Burn this letter like all the
others!"

The above note was written with so much cunning that, even supposing the
orphans had communicated it to their father or Dagobert, it would at the
worst have been considered a strange, intrusive proceeding, but almost
excusable from the spirit in which it was conceived. Nothing could
have been contrived with more perfidious art, if we consider the cruel
perplexity in which Marshal Simon was struggling between the fear
of again leaving his children and the shame of neglecting what he
considered a sacred duty. All the tenderness, all the susceptibility
of heart which distinguished the orphans, had been called into play by
these diabolical counsels, and the sisters soon perceived that their
presence was in fact both sweet and painful to their father; for
sometimes he felt himself incapable of leaving them, and sometimes the
thought of a neglected duty spread a cloud of sadness over his brow.
Hence the poor twins could not fail to value the fatal meaning of the
anonymous letters they received. They were persuaded that, from some
mysterious motive, which they were unable to penetrate, their presence
was often importunate and even painful to their father. Hence the
growing sadness of Rose and Blanche--hence the sort of fear and reserve
which restrained the expression of their filial tenderness. A most
painful situation for the marshal, who deceived by inexplicable
appearances, mistook, in his turn, their manner of indifference to
him--and so, with breaking heart, and bitter grief upon his face, often
abruptly quitted his children to conceal his tears!

And the desponding orphans said to each other: "We are the cause of our
father's grief. It is our presence which makes him so unhappy."

The reader may new judge what ravages such a thought, when fixed and
incessant, must have made on these young, loving, timid, and simple
hearts. Haw could the orphans be on their guard against such anonymous
communications, which spoke with reverence of all they loved, and seemed
every day justified by the conduct of their father? Already victims of
numerous plots, and hearing that they were surrounded by enemies, we
can understand, how faithful to the advice of their unknown friend, they
forbore to confide to Dagobert these letters, in which he was so justly
appreciated. The object of t