."

"It was to a priest, and not to her adopted son, that Madame Baudoin
wished to speak," replied Gabriel, in a tone of deep seriousness. "I
closed my door because I was to hear a confession."

"And what had Frances Baudoin of such importance to confess?"

"You will know that by-and-bye, when I speak to his reverence--if it be
his pleasure that you should hear me."

These words were so firmly spoken, that a long silence ensued. Let us
remind the reader that Gabriel had hitherto been kept by his superiors in
the most complete ignorance of the importance of the family interests
which required his presence in the Rue Saint-Francois. The day before,
Frances Baudoin, absorbed in her own grief, had forgotten to tell him
that the two orphans also should be present at this meeting, and had she
even thought of it, Dagobert would have prevented her mentioning this
circumstance to the young priest.

Gabriel was therefore quite ignorant of the family ties which united him
with the daughters of Marshal Simon, with Mdlle. de Cardoville, with M.
Hardy, Prince Djalma, and Sleepinbuff. In a word, if it had then been
revealed to him that he was the heir of Marius de Rennepont, he would
have believed himself the only descendant of the family. During the
moment's silence which succeeded his conversation with Rodin, Gabriel
observed through the windows the mason's at their work of unwalling the
door. Having finished this first operation, they set about removing the
bars of iron by which a plate of lead was fixed over the same entrance.

At this juncture, Father d'Aigrigny, conducted by Samuel, entered the
room. Before Gabriel could turn around, Rodin had time to whisper to the
reverend father, "He knows nothing--and we have no longer anything to
fear from the Indian."

Notwithstanding his affected calmness, Father d'Aigrigny's countenance
was pale and contracted, like that of a player who is about to stake all
on a last, decisive game. Hitherto, all had favored the designs of the
Society; but he could not think without alarm of the four hours which
still remained before they should reach the fatal moment. Gabriel having
turned towards him, Father d'Aigrigny offered him his hand with a smile,
and said to him in an affectionate and cordial tone, "My dear son, it has
pained me a good deal to have been obliged to refuse you till now the
interview that you so much desired. It has been no less distressing to me
to impose on you a confinem