plied Monsieur Alain. "Madame's name is
Lechantre de la Chanterie. Under the Empire none of the nobiliary titles
were allowed, nor any of the names added to the patronymic or original
names. Therefore, the Baronne des Tours-Minieres was called Madame
Bryond. The Marquis d'Esgrignon took his name of Carol (citizen Carol);
later he was called the Sieur Carol. The Troisvilles became the Sieurs
Guibelin."

"But what happened? Did the Emperor pardon her?"

"Alas, no!" replied Alain. "The unfortunate little woman, not twenty-one
years old, perished on the scaffold. After reading Bordin's appeal, the
Emperor answered very much in these terms: 'Why be so bitter against the
spy? A spy is no longer a man; he ought not to have feelings; he is a
wheel of the machinery; Bryond did his duty. If instruments of that
kind were not what they are,--steel bars,--and intelligent only in the
service of the power employing them, government would not be possible.
The sentences of criminal courts must be carried out, or the judges
would cease to have confidence in themselves or in me. Besides, the
women of the West must be taught not to meddle in plots. It is precisely
in the case of a woman that justice should not be interfered with. There
is no excuse possible for an attack on power?' This was the substance
of what the Emperor said, as Bordin repeated it to me. Learning a little
later that France and Russia were about to measure swords against each
other, and that the Emperor was to go two thousand miles from Paris to
attack a vast and desert country, Bordin understood the secret reason of
the Emperor's harshness. To insure tranquillity at the West, now full of
refractories, Napoleon believed it necessary to inspire terror. Bordin
could do no more."

"But Madame de la Chanterie?" said Godefroid.

"Madame de la Chanterie was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment,"
replied Alain. "As she was already transferred to Bicetre, near Rouen,
to undergo her punishment, nothing was attempted on her behalf until
every effort had been made to save Henriette, who had grown dearer than
ever to her mother during this time of anxiety. Indeed, if it had not
been for Bordin's assurance that he could obtain Henriette's pardon,
it is doubtful if Madame could have survived the shock of the sentence.
When the appeal failed, they deceived the poor mother. She saw her
daughter once after the execution of the other prisoners, not knowing
that Madame Bryond's res