proved an alibi, and
his innocence leaves his arrest to be regretted, all the more
because just as the examining judge had given the order for his
release the young gentleman died suddenly."

"I need not point out to you," said the young lawyer to Massol, "how
necessary it is to preserve absolute silence as to the little service
requested of you."

"Since it is you who do me the honor of so much confidence," replied
Massol, "allow me to make one observation. This paragraph will give rise
to odious comments on the course of justice----"

"Justice is strong enough to bear them," said the young attache to the
Courts, with the pride of a coming magistrate trained by Monsieur de
Granville.

"Allow me, my dear sir; with two sentences this difficulty may be
avoided."

And the journalist-lawyer wrote as follows:--

"The forms of the law have nothing to do with this sad event. The
post-mortem examination, which was at once made, proved that
sudden death was due to the rupture of an aneurism in its last
stage. If Monsieur Lucien de Rubempre had been upset by his
arrest, death must have ensued sooner. But we are in a position to
state that, far from being distressed at being taken into custody,
the young man, whom all must lament, only laughed at it, and told
those who escorted him from Fontainebleau to Paris that as soon as
he was brought before a magistrate his innocence would be
acknowledged."

"That saves it, I think?" said Massol.

"You are perfectly right."

"The public prosecutor will thank you for it to-morrow," said Massol
slyly.

Now to the great majority, as to the more choice reader, it will perhaps
seem that this Study is not completed by the death of Esther and of
Lucien; Jacques Collin and Asie, Europe and Paccard, in spite of their
villainous lives, may have been interesting enough to make their fate a
matter of curiosity.

The last act of the drama will also complete the picture of life
which this Study is intended to present, and give the issue of various
interests which Lucien's career had strangely tangled by bringing some
ignoble personages from the hulks into contact with those of the highest
rank.

Thus, as may be seen, the greatest events of life find their expression
in the more or less veracious gossip of the Paris papers. And this is
the case with many things of greater importance than are here recorded.

VAUTRIN'S LAST AVATAR

"