bright moonlight showing us off to advantage. How do you know
people are not watching us this very minute? Come this way."

They strode through the fields, regardless of Gaston's plants, which
were trampled under foot in order to take a short cut.

"Now," began Raoul, when they were at a safe distance from the road,
"now, my dear uncle, I will tell you what brings me here. I have
received and carefully read your letters. I read them over again. You
wished to be prudent; and the consequence was, that your letters were
unintelligible. Only one thing did I understand clearly: we are in
danger."

"Only the more reason for your watchfulness and obedience."

"Very well put: only, before braving danger, my venerable and beloved
uncle, I want to know its extent. I am not a man to retreat in the hour
of peril, but I want to know exactly how much risk I am running."

"I told you to keep quiet, and follow my directions."

"But to do this would imply that I have perfect confidence in you, my
dear uncle," said Raoul, sneeringly.

"And why should you not? What reasons for distrust have you after all
that I have done for you? Who went to London, and rescued you from a
state of privation and ignominy? I did. Who gave you a name and position
when you had neither? I did. And who is working now to maintain your
present life of ease, and insure you a splendid future? I am. And how do
you repay me?"

"Superb, magnificent, inimitable!" said Raoul, with mocking derision.
"But, while on the subject, why don't you prove that you have sacrificed
yourself for my sake? You did not need me as a tool for carrying out
plans for your own benefit; did you? oh no, not at all! Dear, kind,
generous, disinterested uncle! You ought to have the Montyon prize;
I think I must recommend you as the most deserving person I have ever
met!"

Clameran was so angry at these jeering words that he feared to trust
himself to speak.

"Now, my good uncle," continued Raoul more seriously, "we had better end
this child's play, and come to a clear understanding. I follow you here,
because I thoroughly understand your character, and have just as much
confidence in you as you deserve, and not a particle more. If it were
for your advantage to ruin me, you would not hesitate one instant. If
danger threatened us, you would fly alone, and leave your dutiful nephew
to make his escape the best way he could. Oh! don't look shocked, and
pretend to deny it; your conduct is