nt is his money. I love no one but you.' But after his death
she took others. She made use of our house in the Rue du Cirque
for purposes of dissipation for herself and her daughter Cesarine.
And I--miserable coward that I was!--I suffered all, so much
did I tremble to lose her, so much did I fear to be weaned from
the semblance of love with which she paid my fearful sacrifices.
And now she would betray me, forsake me! For every thing that has
taken place was suggested by her in order to procure a sum wherewith
to fly to America. It was she who imagined the wretched comedy
which I played, so as to throw upon myself the whole responsibility.
M. de Thaller has had millions for his share: I have only had twelve
hundred thousand francs."

Violent nervous shudders shook his frame: his face became purple.
He drew himself up, and, brandishing the letters which he held in
his hand,

"But all is not over!" he exclaimed. "There are proofs which
neither the baron nor his wife know that I have. I have the proof
of the infamous swindle of which the Marquis de Tregars was the
victim. I have the proof of the farce got up by M. de Thaller and
myself to defraud the stockholders of the Mutual Credit!"

"What do you hope for?"

He was laughing a stupid laugh.

"I? I shall go and hide myself in some suburb of Paris, and write
to Affrays to come. She knows that I have twelve hundred thousand
francs. She will come; and she will keep coming as long as I have
any money. And when I have no more:--"

He stopped short, starting back, his arms outstretched as if to
repel a terrifying apparition. Mlle. Gilberte had just appeared
at the door.

"My daughter!" stammered the wretch. "Gilberte!"

"The Marquise de Tregars," uttered Marius.

An inexpressible look of terror and anguish convulsed the features
of Vincent Favoral: he guessed that it was the end.

"What do you want with me?" he stammered.

"The money that you have stolen, father," replied the girl in an
inexorable tone of voice,--"the twelve hundred thousand francs which
you have here, then the proofs which are in your hands, and, finally
your weapons."

He was trembling from head to foot.

"Take away my money!" he said. "Why, that would be compelling me
to give myself up! Do you wish to see me in prison?"

"The disgrace would fall back upon your children, sir," said M. de
Tregars. "We shall, on the contrary, do every thing in the world
to enable you to eva