breast, and said, coldly:

"Remember that my body might embarrass you; one corpse is enough."

The Baron threw the weapon on the floor with such force that he broke it
in two.

"But it was you," he said, in a trembling voice, "you were Lambernier's
assassin. I--He knew this infamous secret, and his death was involuntary
on my part."

"The intention is of little account. The deed is the question. There is
not a jury that would not condemn you, and that is what I wish, for such
a sentence would bring a legal separation between you and your wife and
give her her liberty."

"You are not speaking seriously," said Christian, turning pale; "you,
a gentleman, would not denounce me! And, besides, would not my being
sentenced injure the woman in whom you take so much interest?"

"I know all that," Gerfaut replied; "I too cling to the honor of my
name, and yet I expose it. I have plenty of enemies who will be glad
enough to outrage my memory. Public opinion will condemn me, for they
will see only the action, and that is odious. There is one thing,
however, more precious and necessary to me than the world's opinion, and
that is peace for every day, the right to live; and that is the reason
why, happiness having forsaken me, I am going to bequeath it to the
one whom fate has put in your power, but whom I shall not leave to your
mercy."

"I am her husband," Bergenheim replied, angrily.

"Yes, you are her husband; so the law is on your side. You have only to
call upon society for its aid; it will come but too gladly at your call
and help you crush a defenceless woman. And I, who love her as you have
never known how to love her, I can do nothing for her! Living, I must
keep silent and bow before your will; but dead, your absurd laws no
longer exist for me; dead, I can place myself between you and her, and I
will do it. Since, in order to aid her, I have no choice of arms, I will
not recoil from the one weapon which presents itself. Yes, if in order
to save her from your vengeance, I am obliged to resort to the shame of
a denunciation, I swear to you here, I will turn informer. I will sully
my name with this stain; I will pick up this stone from the mud, and I
will crush your head with it."

"These are a coward's words!" exclaimed Christian, as he fell back in
his chair.

Gerfaut looked at him with a calm, stony glance, while replying:

"No insults, please! One of us will not be living to-morrow. Remember
what I tell you: