第489章

"Poor, dear child! you must have been, as you say, seized with dizziness in that terrible moment; so that I have not the courage to reproach you for doubting me a single instant.How can I blame you? Did I not myself think of terminating my life?"

"You, lady!" cried the hunchback.

"Yes, I thought of it--when they came to tell me, that Florine, dying, wished to speak to me.I heard what she had to say; her revelations changed my projects.This dark and mournful life which had become insupportable to me, was suddenly lighted up.The sense of duty woke within me.You were no doubt a prey to horrible misery; it was my duty to seek and save you.Florine's confessions unveiled to me the new plots of the enemies of my scattered family, dispersed by sorrows and cruel losses; it was my duty to warn them of their danger, and to unite them against the common enemy.I had been the victim of odious manoeuvres: it was my duty to punish their authors, for fear that, encouraged by impunity, these black-gowns should make other victims.Then the sense of duty gave me strength, and I was able to rouse myself from my lethargy.

With the help of Abbe Gabriel, a sublime, oh! a sublime priest--the ideal of a true Christian--the worthy brother of Agricola--I courageously entered on the struggle.What shall I say to you, my child? The performance of these duties, the hope of finding you again, have been some relief to me in my trouble.If I was not consoled, I was at least occupied.Your tender friendship, the example of your resignation, will do the rest--I think so--I am sure so--and I shall forget this fatal love."

At the moment Adrienne pronounced these words, rapid footsteps were heard upon the stairs, and a young, clear voice exclaimed: "Oh! dear me, poor Mother Bunch! How lucky I have come just now! If only I could be of some use to her!"

Almost immediately, Rose-Pompon entered the garret with precipitation.

Agricola soon followed the grisette, and pointing to the open window, tried to make Adrienne understand by signs, that she was not to mention to the girl the deplorable end of the Bacchanal Queen.This pantomime was lost on Mdlle.de Cardoville.Adrienne's heart swelled with grief, indignation, pride, as she recognized the girl she had seen at the Porte-

Saint-Martin in company with Djalma, and who alone was the cause of the dreadful sufferings she endured since that fatal evening.And, strange irony of fate! it was at the very moment when Adrienne had just made the humiliating and cruel confession of her despised love, that the woman, to whom she believed herself sacrificed, appeared before her.

If the surprise of Mdlle.de Cardoville was great, Rose-Pompon's was not less so.Not only did she recognize in Adrienne the fair young lady with the golden locks, who had sat opposite to her at the theatre, on the night of the adventure of the black panther, but she had serious reasons for desiring most ardently this unexpected interview.It is impossible to paint the look of malignant joy and triumph, that she affected to cast upon Adrienne.The first impulse of Mdlle.de Cardoville was to quit the room.But she could not bear to leave Mother Bunch at this moment, or to give, in the presence of Agricola, her reasons for such an abrupt departure, and moreover, an inexplicable and fatal curiosity held her back, in spite of her offended pride.She remained, therefore, and was about to examine closely, to hear and to judge, this rival, who had nearly occasioned her death, to whom, in her jealous agony, she had ascribed so many different aspects, in order to explain Djalma's love for such a creature.