ife's infamy, that she
had sinned as deeply as a woman could sin; but he now saw that she had
practised a system more shocking than the crime itself.

"Wretched creature!" he cried with anguish; "in order to see her lover
constantly, she dared introduce him to me under the name of a nephew who
never existed. She had the shameless courage to bring him beneath her
husband's roof, and seat him at my fireside, between my sons; and I,
confiding fool that I was, welcomed the villain, and lent him money."

Nothing could equal the pain of wounded pride and mortification which he
suffered at the thought that Raoul and Mme. Fauvel had amused themselves
with his good-natured credulity and obtuseness.

Nothing but death could wipe out an injury of this nature. But the very
bitterness of his resentment enabled him to restrain himself until the
time for punishment came. With grim satisfaction he promised himself
that his acting would be as successful as theirs.

That day he succeeded in concealing his agitation, and kept up a flow of
talk at dinner; but at about nine o'clock, when Clameran called on the
ladies, he rushed from the house, for fear that he would be unable to
control his indignation at the sight of this destroyer of his happiness;
and did not return home until late in the night.

The next day he reaped the fruit of his prudence.

Among the letters which his valet brought him at noon, was one bearing
the post-mark of Vesinet.

He carefully opened the envelope, and read:

"DEAR AUNT--It is imperatively necessary for me to see you to-day; so do
not fail to come to Vesinet.

"I will explain why I give you this trouble, instead of calling at your
house.

"RAOUL."

"I have them now!" cried M. Fauvel trembling with satisfaction at the
near prospect of vengeance.

Eager to lose no time, he opened a drawer, took out a revolver, and
examined the hammer to see if it worked easily.

He imagined himself alone, but a vigilant eye was watching his
movements. Gypsy, immediately upon her return from the Archangel,
stationed herself at the key-hole of the study-door, and saw all that
occurred.

M. Fauvel laid the pistol on the mantel-piece, and nervously resealed
the letter, which he then took to the box where the letters were usually
left, not wishing anyone to know that Raoul's letter had passed through
his hands.

He was only absent two minutes, but, inspired by the imminence of the
danger, Gypsy darted into the