" 'Does that old fellow live at Chalons?'
I ask.

"'No,' says the shopman. 'He is here in
attendance on a customer of ours an old
ex-aristocrat named Danville. She is on a
visit in our town.'

"I leave you to imagine how that reply
startles and amazes me. The shopman can
answer none of the other questions I put to
him; but the next day I am asked to dinner
by my, employer (who, for his father's sake,
shows me the utmost civility). On entering
the room, I find his wife just putting away a
lavender-coloured silk scarf, on which she has
been embroidering in silver what looks to
me very like a crest and coat of arms.

"'I don't mind your seeing what I am
about, citizen Lomaque,' says she; 'for I
know we can trust you. That scarf is sent
back to us by the purchaser, an ex-emigrant
lady of the old aristocratic school, to have
her family coat-of-arms embroidered on it.'

"'Rather a dangerous commission even in
these mercifully democratic times, is it not?'
says I.

"'The old lady, you must know,' says
she, 'is as proud as Lucifer; and having got
back safely to France in these days of moderate
republicanism, thinks she may now
indulge with impunity in all her old-fashioned
notions. She has been an excellent customer
of ours, so my husband thought it best to
humour her, without, however, trusting her
commission to any of the work-room women
to execute. We are not living under the
Reign of Terror now, certainly; still there is
nothing like being on the safe side.'

"'Nothing,' I answer. 'Pray what is this
ex-emigrant's name?'

"'Danville,' replies the citoyenne Clairfait.
'She is going to appear in that fine
scarf at her son's marriage.'

"'Marriage!' I exclaim, perfectly
thunderstruck.

"'Yes,' says she. 'What is there so amazing
in that? By all accounts, the son, poor man,
deserves to make a lucky marriage this time.
His first wife was taken away from him in
the Reign of Terror by the guillotine.'

"'Who is he going to marry?' I enquire,
still breathless.

"'The daughter of General Berthelin—an
ex-aristocrat by family, like the old lady, but
by principle as good a republican as ever
lived—a hard-drinking, loud-swearing,
big-whiskered old soldier, who snaps his fingers
at his ancestors, and says we are all descended
from Adam, the first genuine sans-culotte in
the world.'

"In this way the citoyenne Clairfait
gossips on all dinner-time, but says nothing
more of any importance. I, with my old
police-office habits, set to the next day, and
try to make some discoveries for myself.
The sum of what I find out is this: Danville's
mother is staying with General Berthelin's
sister and daughter at Chalons; and Danville
himself is expected to arrive every day to
escort them all three to Paris, where the
marriage contract is to be signed at the
general's house. Discovering this, and seeing
that prompt action is now of the most
vital importance, I undertake, as I told you,
my employer's commission for Paris; depart
with all speed; and stop here on my way.—
Wait! I have not done yet. All the haste
I can make is not haste enough to give me a
good start of the wedding party. On my
road here, the diligence by which I travel is
passed by a carriage, posting along at full
speed. I cannot see inside that carriage;
but I look at the box-seat, and recognise on
it the old man Dubois. He whirls by in a
cloud of dust, but I am certain of him; and
I say to myself, what I now say again to you,
no time is to be lost!"

"No time shall be lost," answered Trudaine
firmly. "Three years have passed," he
continued, in a lower voice, speaking to himself
rather than to Lomaque; " three years since
the day when I led my sister out of the gates
of the prison, three years since I said in my
heart I will be patient, and will not seek to
avenge myself. Our wrongs cry from earth
to heaven; from man who inflicts to God
who redresses. When the day of reckoning
comes, let it be the day of His vengeance, not
of mine. In my heart I said those words—I
have been true to them—I have waited.
The day has come, and the duty it demands
of me shall be fulfilled."

There was a moment's silence before
Lomaque spoke again. "Your sister?" he
began hesitatingly.

"It is there only that my purpose falters,"
said the other earnestly. "If it were but
possible to spare her all knowledge of this
last trial, and to leave the accomplishment of
the terrible task to me alone?"

"I think it is possible," interposed Lomaque,
"Listen to what I advise. We must depart
for Paris by the diligence to-morrow morning,
and we must take your sister with us—
to-morrow will be time enough: people don't
sign marriage contracts on the evening after a
long day's journey. We must go then, and
we must take your sister. Leave the care of
her in Paris, and the responsibility of keeping
her in ignorance of what you are doing, to
me. Go to this General Berthelin's house at
a time when you know Danville is there (we
can get that knowledge through the servants);
confront him without a moment's previous
warning; confront him as a man risen from
the dead; confront him before every soul in
the room, though the room should be full of
people—and leave the rest to the self-betrayal
of a panic-stricken man. Say but three words,
and your duty will be done; you may return to
your sister, and may depart with her in safety
to your old retreat at Rouen, or where else
you please, on the very day when you have
put it out of her infamous husband's power
to add another to the list of his crimes."