nsent to heal the wound you have made. If
you refuse--hum! but you will not refuse."

"But what is it you require of me?" inquired Camille impatiently.

"Only a little common honesty. This is the case: you have seduced a
young lady."

"Sir!" cried Camille angrily.

"What is the matter? The word is not so bad as the crime, I take it. You
have seduced her, and under circumstances--But we won't speak of them,
because I am resolved to keep cool. Well, sir, as you said just now,
it's no use crying over spilled milk; you can't unseduce the little
fool; so you must marry her."

"M--m--marry her?" and Dujardin flushed all over, and his heart beat,
and he stared in Raynal's face.

"Why, what is the matter again? If she has played the fool, it was with
you, and no other man: it is not as if she was depraved. Come, my lad,
show a little generosity! Take the consequences of your own act--or your
share of it--don't throw it all on the poor feeble woman. If she has
loved you too much, you are the man of all others that should forgive
her. Come, what do you say?"

This was too much for Camille; that Raynal should come and demand of him
to marry his own wife, for so he understood the proposal. He stared at
Raynal in silence ever so long, and even when he spoke it was only to
mutter, "Are you out of your senses, or am I?"

At this it cost Raynal a considerable effort to restrain his wrath.
However, he showed himself worthy of the office he had undertaken. He
contained himself, and submitted to argue the matter. "Why, colonel,"
said he, "is it such a misfortune to marry poor Rose? She is young,
she is lovely, she has many good qualities, and she would have walked
straight to the end of her days but for you."

Now here was another surprise for Dujardin, another mystification.

"Rose de Beaurepaire?" said he, putting his hand to his head, as if to
see whether his reason was still there.

"Yes, Rose de Beaurepaire--Rose Dujardin that ought to be, and that is
to be, if you please."

"One word, monsieur: is it of Rose we have been talking all this time?"

Raynal nearly lost his temper at this question, and the cold,
contemptuous tone with which it was put; but he gulped down his ire.

"It is," said he.

"One question more. Did she tell you I had--I had"--

"Why, as to that, she was in no condition to deny she had fallen, poor
girl; the evidence was too strong. She did not reveal her seducer's
name; but I had not far to go