st specious exterior. To this
man was Mlle. de Lagny united, by desire of her father; but a very short
time sufficed to strip the mask from his vicious character, and to
display his natural propensities. A gambler, a spendthrift, and
profligate, addicted to the lowest vices that can disgrace a human
being, he quickly dissipated, not only his own fortune, but that of his
wife also. Even the estate to which Madame Georges Duresnel had retired
was involved in the general ruin occasioned by her worthless husband's
passion for play, and his dissolute mode of life; and the unfortunate
woman would have been left without a shelter for herself or infant son
but for the kind affection of her relation, the Marquise d'Harville,
whom she loved with the tenderness of a sister. With this valued friend
Madame Duresnel found a welcome home, while her wretched husband,
finding himself utterly ruined, plunged into the blackest crimes, and
stopped at no means, however guilty and desperate, to supply his
pleasures. He became the associate of thieves, murderers, pickpockets,
and forgers, and ere long, falling into the hands of the law, was
sentenced to the galleys for the term of his natural life. Yet, while
suffering the just punishment of his crimes, his base mind devised the
double atrocity of tearing the child from its miserable mother, for the
sake of breaking down every good principle it might have imbibed, and of
training it up in vicious readiness to join his future schemes of
villainy. You know the rest. After the condemnation of her husband,
Madame Georges, without giving any reason for so doing, quitted the
Marquise d'Harville, and went to hide her shame and her sorrows in
Paris, where she soon fell into the utmost distress. It would occupy
too much time to tell you by what train of events my lord became aware
of the misfortunes of this excellent woman, as well as the ties which
connect her with the D'Harville family; it is sufficient that he came
most opportunely and generously to her assistance, induced her to quit
Paris and establish herself at the farm at Bouqueval, where she now is,
with the Goualeuse. In this peaceful retreat she has found tranquillity,
if not happiness; and the overlooking and management of the farm may
serve to recreate her thoughts, and prevent them from dwelling too
deeply on her past sorrows. As much to spare the almost morbid
sensibility of Madame Georges, as because he dislikes to blazon forth
his good