et, for all their pride? Didn't it almost break
her heart when they forced the poor sick gentleman out of her house, to
cage him in this cold, dreary place, where his own mother takes about as
much care and notice of him as though he were a _Hindoo_ or a
_Hottentot_!" (Mrs. Lawkins was not strong in comparisons.) "And don't
he mourn the night through for Mademoiselle Madeleine, crying out for
her to come to him, as, I warrant, he never did for his mother? And
isn't that mother murdering him at this very moment?"

"Leave the house! Leave the house!" cried the countess, in a voice that
had lost all its commanding dignity, through rage. "Leave the house, I
say! Do you dare to stand in my presence after such insolence?"

"Yes, madame I dare!" replied Mrs. Lawkins, coolly. "I am not afraid of
a marble figure, even though it has a tongue; and there's not more soul
in you than in a piece of marble; there's nothing but stone where your
heart should be; but even stone will break with a hard enough blow, and
perhaps you will get such a one before you die."

"Go! I say, go!" vociferated the countess, pointing to the door. "Am I
to be obeyed?"

"No, madame!" replied Mrs. Lawkins, undaunted. "Not until I receive the
orders of M. Maurice de Gramont. He placed me here, and here I shall
stay until I have his leave to resign my duties."

Count Tristan had caught his attendant's hand when he conceived the idea
that she was to be sent away from him, and when she refused to leave
him, he pressed it approvingly.

"I am mistress here!" said the countess, with something of her former
grandeur of bearing. "M. Maurice de Gramont has no authority to engage
or discharge domestics, or to give any orders that are not mine. I will
have none of Mademoiselle de Gramont's spies placed about my person! Go
and tell her so, and say that after this last outrage, I will never see
her face again. Would that I might never hear her name! She has been my
curse,--my misery; she shall never cross my path more!"

The count rose up as if sudden strength were miraculously infused into
his limbs; he raised both his arms toward heaven, and wailed out, "O
Lord God, bless her! bless her! Madeleine! Good angel! Madeleine!"

The next moment he fell forward senseless and rolled to the ground.

The countess was stupefied;--she could not speak, or stoop, or stir.

The alarmed house-keeper knelt beside him. Robert hastily set down the
salver and lent his assistance.