was your cook at Florence--"

"Hush! Carmen, you will be heard!"

"Who cares! Yes, the whole world may hear the story of a girl whose
mother was cook in a banker's house. The banker entered the girl's room
in the night, the mother discovered it. Her rage and distress brought on
an attack of apoplexy. She died, and I remained with you! These are the
bare facts."

"Carmen!"

"Oh! I am not complaining. You were rich, you gave me jewels and fine
clothes. I was only sixteen, I forgot your brutality and I remained with
you. When you came back to France you told me that a certain regard must
be paid to appearances, that we must lie, in short, and I agreed to pass
as your daughter. And now, I ask"--she folded her arms on her breast--"I
ask why you did not marry me?"

"Good heavens! because--"

"Because what? You cannot give me a good reason. Not a word of truth can
ever be torn from you. I am convinced that back of all these lies there
is some horrible infamy which you dare not acknowledge even to me."

"Carmen! no more of this, I implore you! What has gone wrong with you?"

"Everything. I simply wish to know, and am resolved to know, who you
are--if not--"

"If not?"

"I have not quite decided. There are some things, bad as I am, which I
will not stand, and I will make it the business of my life to discover
what crimes you have committed, and I will denounce you!"

Laisangy started to his feet.

"Look at yourself in the mirror," cried Carmen, "and tell me if you do
not look like a murderer!"

Laisangy bit his lips so fiercely that the blood started. Then suddenly,
as if a thought had struck him, he cried:

"Come now, Carmen, don't say any more nasty things to me. I am an old
man and have had many troubles."

"Indeed?"

"You have never questioned me like this before. Even my appetite offends
you. Surely, there is no crime in that! You want to know something about
me. One thing I will tell you--it may strike you as rather a joke. Once
in Italy, going from one city to another, I had a large sum of money
with me, and I was taken by brigands. These villains took it into their
heads to sell me every mouthful I ate at its weight in gold. For some
time I would not yield, and was nearly starved. Since that time I have
had paroxysms of violent hunger. Do you see?"

Carmen did not see, and she said:

"But why did not the brigands take your money without subjecting you to
this torture?"

Laisangy looked troubled