me me for the moment. Be
comforted--she is yet alive, and, with Heaven's blessing, I dare still
hope that some day I may find her again, and that we may yet be happy."

Touched by the deep sigh of relief with which Amoahmeh received these
words, and by the tears that followed it, Isidore could not choose but
tell her something of what had befallen Marguerite. Debarred as he had
latterly been from consolation or sympathy, and without a friend to
speak a single word of comfort or encouragement to him, it is scarcely
to be wondered at that he should open his heart to any one who would
pour balm upon his wounded spirit. But sorrow had already borne some
fruit with him, and as he briefly told the story of the misfortunes
that had befallen him, no word that savoured of anger or of vengeful
feeling passed his lips, and though he could not but speak of grievous
wrongs done both to her and to him, he forbore to use hard words
against, or even to name, those who had brought this misery upon them.

"See," said he at last, with a melancholy smile, "I have been led, I
scarce know how, to tell you a long story about myself; let us now talk
of other things."

"But, monsieur," replied Amoahmeh, who had listened to every word with
intense interest, "you have scarcely once spoken of monsieur your
father. How could he suffer this? He is a great noble in France,
surely he could have saved you? Do I not know him to be so good even
to a poor stranger, that it is not possible he would let his own son,
and a noble one as you are, to become the victim of such a dreadful
thing as this _lettre de cachet_ which you tell me of? Did you not see
him at the last and tell him what had happened to her? Surely his
heart must have melted if he had known all you tell me now."

Isidore remained silent for a little while. "To speak the truth," said
he at length, "it is just this that oftentimes adds to my sorrow. I do
feel that I ought at the very last to have made one more appeal to him;
but, after all, what could it have availed me? He must have known it
all, else why come there to hunt us down? Heaven forgive me if I have
wronged him. At all events it is too late now. Let us say no more
about it. Here is our good Boulanger come to call us in. God be
thanked that I have found at least this ray of comfort in my trouble."

Seldom if ever had that humble dwelling seen so abundant a meal as that
which Bibi had managed to improvise for their