第499章

These tears without bitterness do me so much good; they are tears that need not be concealed.Thank heaven! thank you, my friend! those other tears are I trust dried forever."

For some seconds, this affecting scene had been overlooked by an invisible witness.The smith and Mother Bunch had not perceived Mdlle.

de Cardoville standing on the threshold of the door.As Mother Bunch had said, this day, which dawned with all under such fatal auspices, had become for all a day of ineffable felicity.Adrienne, too, was full of joy, for Djalma had been faithful to her, Djalma loved her with passion.

The odious appearances, of which she had been the dupe and victim, evidently formed part of a new plot of Rodin, and it only remained for Mdlle.de Cardoville to discover the end of these machinations.

Another joy was reserved for her.The happy are quick in detecting happiness in others, and Adrienne guessed, by the hunchback's last words, that there was no longer any secret between the smith and the sempstress.

She could not therefore help exclaiming, as she entered: "Oh! this will be the brightest day of my life, for I shall not be happy alone!"

Agricola and Mother Bunch turned round hastily."Lady," said the smith, "in spite of the promise I made you, I could not conceal from Magdalen that I knew she loved me!"

"Now that I no longer blush for this love before Agricola, why should I blush for it before you, lady, that told me to be proud of it, because it is noble and pure?" said Mother Bunch, to whom her happiness gave strength enough to rise, and to lean upon Agricola's arm.

"It is well, my friend," said Adrienne, as she threw her arms round her to support her; "only one word, to excuse the indiscretion with which you will perhaps reproach me.If I told your secret to M.Agricola--"

"Do you know why it was, Magdalen?" cried the smith, interrupting Adrienne."It was only another proof of the lady's delicate generosity.

`I long hesitate to confide to you this secret,' said she to me this morning, `but I have at length made up my mind to it.We shall probably find your adopted sister; you have been to her the best of brothers: but many times, without knowing it, you have wounded her feelings cruelly--

and now that you know her secret, I trust in your kind heart to keep it faithfully, and so spare the poor child a thousand pangs--pangs the more bitter, because they come from you, and are suffered in silence.Hence, when you speak to her of your wife, your domestic happiness, take care not to gall that noble and tender heart.'--Yes, Magdalen, these were the reasons that led the lady to commit what she called an indiscretion."

"I want words to thank you now and ever," said Mother Bunch.

"See, my friend," replied Adrienne, "how often the designs of the wicked turn against themselves.They feared your devotion to me, and therefore employed that unhappy Florine to steal your journal--"

"So as to drive me from your house with shame, lady, When I supposed my most secret thoughts an object of ridicule to all.There can be no doubt such was their plan," said Mother Bunch.

"None, my child.Well! this horrible wickedness, which nearly caused your death, now turns to the confusion of the criminals.Their plot is discovered--and, luckily, many other of their designs," said Adrienne, as she thought of Rose-Pompon.

Then she resumed, with heartfelt joy: "At last, we are again united, happier than ever, and in our very happiness we shall find new resources to combat our enemies.I say our enemies--for all that love me are odious to these wretches.But courage, the hour is come, and the good people will have their turn."

"Thank heaven, lady," said the smith; "or my part, I shall not be wanting in zeal.What delight to strip them of their mask!"

"Let me remind you, M.Baudoin, that you have an appointment for to-

morrow with M.Hardy."

"I have not forgotten it, lady, any more than the generous offers I am to convey to him."

"That is nothing.He belongs to my family.Tell him (what indeed I shall write to him this evening), that the funds necessary to reopen his factory are at his disposal; I do not say so for his sake only, but for that of a hundred families reduced to want.Beg him to quit immediately the fatal abode to which they have taken him: for a thousand reasons he should be on his guard against all that surround him."

"Be satisfied, lady.The letter he wrote to me in reply to the one I got secretly delivered to him, was short, affectionate, sad--but he grants me the interview I had asked for, and I am sure I shall be able to persuade him to leave that melancholy dwelling, and perhaps to depart with me, he has always had so much confidence in my attachment."

"Well, M.Baudoin, courage!" said Adrienne, as she threw her cloak over the workgirl's shoulders, and wrapped her round with care."Let us be gone, for it is late.As soon as we get home, I will give you a letter for M.Hardy, and to-morrow you will come and tell me the result of your visit.No, not to-morrow," she added, blushing slightly."Write to me to-morrow, and the day after, about twelve, come to me."

Some minutes later, the young sempstress, supported by Agricola and Adrienne, had descended the stairs of that gloomy house, and, being placed in the carriage by the side of Mdlle.de Cardoville, she earnestly entreated to be allowed to see Cephyse; it was in vain that Agricola assured her it was impossible, and that she should see her the next day.

Thanks to the information derived from Rose-Pompon, Mdlle.de Cardoville was reasonably suspicious of all those who surrounded Djalma, and she therefore took measures, that, very evening, to have a letter delivered to the prince by what she considered a sure hand.