he
knew that I loved him with all my heart. The law had nothing to do with
that. I did not ask if it was the law that made him my father. It was
our love that made us so much to each other."

"What are you driving at?" asked M. Vulfran.

"I beg your pardon if I have said anything I should not say, but I speak
as I think and as I feel."

"And that is why I am listening to you," said the blind man; "what you
say is not quite reasonable, but you speak as a good girl would."

"Well, sir, what I am trying to say is this," said Perrine boldly; "if
you love your son and want to have him back with you, he also loves his
daughter and wants to have her with him."

"He should not hesitate between his father and his daughter," said the
old man; "besides, if the marriage is annulled, she will be nothing to
him. He could soon marry that woman off again with the dowry that I
would give her. Everything is changed since he went away. My fortune is
much larger.... He will have riches, honor and position. Surely it isn't
a little half-caste that can keep him back."

"Perhaps she is not so dreadful as you imagine," said Perrine.

"A Hindu."

"In the books that I read to you it says that the Hindus are more
beautiful than the Europeans," said Perrine.

"Travelers' exaggerations," said the old man scoffingly.

"They have graceful figures, faces of pure oval, deep eyes with a proud
look. They are patient, courageous, industrious; they are studious...."

"You have a memory!"

"One should always remember what one reads, should not one?" asked
Perrine. "It does not seem that the Hindu is such a horrible creature as
you say."

"Well, what does all that matter to me as I do not know her?"

"But if you knew her you might perhaps get interested in her and learn
to love her."

"Never! I can't bear to think of her and her mother!..."

"But if you knew her you might not feel so angry towards her."

He clenched his fist as though unable to control his fury, but he did
not stop her.

"I don't suppose that she is at all like you suppose," said Perrine;
"Father Fields is a good priest and he would not say what was not true,
and he says that her mother was good and kind and a lady...."

"He never knew her; it is hearsay."

"But it seems that everyone holds this opinion. If she came to your
house would you not be as kind to her as you have been to me, ... a
stranger?"

"Don't say anything against yourself."

"I do not speak for