in full activity.
So the world still existed! and by slow degrees the idea of his own
responsibility awoke in him.

"To-day is the day," he said to himself, with an involuntary movement
toward the dark side of the room, as if he longed to bury himself anew
in his long sleep.

The factory bell rang, then other bells in the neighborhood, then the
Angelus.

"Noon! Already! How I have slept!"

He felt some little remorse and a great sense of relief at the thought
that the drama of settling-day had passed off without him. What had they
done downstairs? Why did they not call him?

He rose, drew the curtains aside, and saw Risler and Sigismond talking
together in the garden. And it was so long since they had spoken to each
other! What in heaven's name had happened? When he was ready to go down
he found Claire at the door of his room.

"You must not go out," she said.

"Why not?"

"Stay here. I will explain it to you."

"But what's the matter? Did any one come from the Bank?"

"Yes, they came--the notes are paid."

"Paid?"

"Risler obtained the money. He has been rushing about with Planus since
early morning. It seems that his wife had superb jewels. The diamond
necklace alone brought twenty thousand francs. He has also sold their
house at Asnieres with all it contained; but as time was required to
record the deed, Planus and his sister advanced the money."

She turned away from him as she spoke. He, on his side, hung his head to
avoid her glance.

"Risler is an honorable man," she continued, "and when he learned from
whom his wife received all her magnificent things--"

"What!" exclaimed Georges in dismay. "He knows?"

"All," Claire replied, lowering her voice.

The wretched man turned pale, stammered feebly:

"Why, then--you?"

"Oh! I knew it all before Risler. Remember, that when I came home last
night, I told you I had heard very cruel things down at Savigny, and
that I would have given ten years of my life not to have taken that
journey."

"Claire!"

Moved by a mighty outburst of affection, he stepped toward his wife; but
her face was so cold, so sad, so resolute, her despair was so plainly
written in the stern indifference of her whole bearing, that he dared
not take her in his arms as he longed to do, but simply murmured under
his breath:

"Forgive!--forgive!"

"You must think me strangely calm," said the brave woman; "but I shed
all my tears yesterday. You may have thought that I was we