, and, with a frightfully
constrained smile, to say:

"How you frightened me then!"

He looked at her a moment, which seemed to her an age--and simply
replied:

"I understand it."

There was no longer any uncertainty. Bertha saw only too well in
her husband's eyes that he knew something. But what--how much?
She nerved herself to go on:

"Are you still suffering?"

"No."

"Then why did you get up?"

He raised himself upon his pillow, and with a sudden strength, he
continued:

"I got up to tell you that I have had enough of these tortures,
that I have reached the limits of human energy, that I cannot endure
one day longer the agony of seeing myself put to death slowly, drop
by drop, by the hands of my wife and my best friend!"

He stopped. Hector and Bertha were thunderstruck. "I wanted to
tell you also, that I have had enough of your cruel caution, and
that I suffer. Ah, don't you see that I suffer horribly? Hurry,
cut short my agony! Kill me, and kill me at a blow--poisoners!"

At the last word, the Count de Tremorel sprang up as if he had
moved by a spring, his eyes haggard, his arms stretched out.
Sauvresy, seeing this, quickly slipped his hand under the pillow,
pulled out a revolver, and pointed the barrel at Hector, crying out:

"Don't advance a step!"

He thought that Tremorel, seeing that they were discovered, was
going to rush upon him and strangle him; but he was mistaken. It
seemed to Hector as though he were losing his mind. He fell down
as heavily as if he were a log. Bertha was more self-possessed;
she tried to resist the torpor of terror which she felt coming on.

"You are worse, my Clement," said she. "This is that dreadful fever
which frightens me so. Delirium--"

"Have I really been delirious?" interrupted he, with a surprised air.

"Alas, yes, dear, that is what haunts you, and fills your poor sick
head with horrid visions."

He looked at her curiously. He was really stupefied by this
boldness, which constantly grew more bold.

"What! you think that we, who are so dear to you, your friends, I,
your--"

Her husband's implacable look forced her to stop, and the words
expired on her lips.

"Enough of these lies, Bertha," resumed Sauvresy, "they are useless.
No, I have not been dreaming, nor have I been delirious. The poison
is only too real, and I could tell you what it is without your
taking it out of your pocket."

She recoiled as if she had seen her husband's hand stretche