scritoire, my casket, and my will. I then
opened Goudar's letter, and read:

"I am quite sure that the girl you know of is very far from dying, as she
has gone to Ranelagh with Lord Grosvenor."

Although Edgar was a profligate, he was a sensible man, and my story made
him furious. He threw his arms around my neck, and told me he should
always think the day on which he rescued me from death for so unworthy an
object the happiest in his life. He could scarcely credit the infamy of
the Charpillon and her mother. He told me I could have the mother
arrested, though I had not got the bills of exchange, as her mother's
letter acknowledging her daughter's possession of the bills was
sufficient evidence.

Without informing him of my intention, I resolved that moment to have her
arrested. Before we parted we swore eternal friendship, but the reader
will see before long what a penance the kind Englishman had to do for
befriending me.

The next day I went to the attorney I had employed against Count
Schwerin. After hearing my story he said that I had an undoubted claim,
and that I could arrest the mother and the two aunts.

Without losing time I went before a magistrate, who took my sworn
information and granted me a warrant. The same official who had arrested
Schwerin took charge of the affair; but as he did not know the women by
sight it was necessary that someone who did should go with him, for
though he was certain of surprising them there might be several other
women present, and he might not arrest the right ones.

As Goudar would not have undertaken the delicate task of pointing them
out, I resolved on accompanying him myself.

I made an appointment with him at an hour when I knew they would be all
in the parlour. He was to enter directly the door was opened, and I would
come in at the same instant and point out the women he had to arrest. In
England all judicial proceedings are conducted with the utmost
punctuality, and everything went off as I had arranged. The bailiff and
his subaltern stepped into the parlour and I followed in their footsteps.
I pointed out the mother and the two sisters and then made haste to
escape, for the sight of the Charpillon, dressed in black, standing by
the hearth, made me shudder. I felt cured, certainly; but the wounds she
had given me were not yet healed, and I cannot say what might have
happened if the Circe had had the presence of mind to throw her arms
about my neck and beg for me