The apartment on the second floor of the house in the RueSaint-Germain-des-Pres, where Albert de Morcerf had selecteda home for his mother, was let to a very mysterious person.This was a man whose face the concierge himself had neverseen, for in the winter his chin was buried in one of thelarge red handkerchiefs worn by gentlemen's coachmen on acold night, and in the summer he made a point of alwaysblowing his nose just as he approached the door. Contrary tocustom, this gentleman had not been watched, for as thereport ran that he was a person of high rank, and one whowould allow no impertinent interference, his incognito wasstrictly respected.

His visits were tolerably regular, though occasionally heappeared a little before or after his time, but generally,both in summer and winter, he took possession of hisapartment about four o'clock, though he never spent thenight there. At half-past three in the winter the fire waslighted by the discreet servant, who had the superintendenceof the little apartment, and in the summer ices were placedon the table at the same hour. At four o'clock, as we havealready stated, the mysterious personage arrived. Twentyminutes afterwards a carriage stopped at the house, a ladyalighted in a black or dark blue dress, and always thicklyveiled; she passed like a shadow through the lodge, and ranup-stairs without a sound escaping under the touch of herlight foot. No one ever asked her where she was going. Herface, therefore, like that of the gentleman, was perfectlyunknown to the two concierges, who were perhaps unequalledthroughout the capital for discretion. We need not say shestopped at the second floor. Then she tapped in a peculiarmanner at a door, which after being opened to admit her wasagain fastened, and curiosity penetrated no farther. Theyused the same precautions in leaving as in entering thehouse. The lady always left first, and as soon as she hadstepped into her carriage, it drove away, sometimes towardsthe right hand, sometimes to the left; then about twentyminutes afterwards the gentleman would also leave, buried inhis cravat or concealed by his handkerchief.

The day after Monte Cristo had called upon Danglars, themysterious lodger entered at ten o'clock in the morninginstead of four in the afternoon. Almost directlyafterwards, without the usual interval of time, a cabarrived, and the veiled lady ran hastily up-stairs. The dooropened, but before it could be closed, the lady exclaimed:"Oh, Lucien - oh, my friend!" The concierge therefore heardfor the first time that the lodger's name was Lucien; still,as he was the very perfection of a door-keeper, he made uphis mind not to tell his wife. "Well, what is the matter, mydear?" asked the gentleman whose name the lady's agitationrevealed; "tell me what is the matter."

"Oh, Lucien, can I confide in you?"

"Of course, you know you can do so. But what can be thematter? Your note of this morning has completely bewilderedme. This precipitation - this unusual appointment. Come,ease me of my anxiety, or else frighten me at once."

"Lucien, a great event has happened!" said the lady,glancing inquiringly at Lucien, - "M. Danglars left lastnight!"

"Left? - M. Danglars left? Where has he gone?"

"I do not know."

"What do you mean? Has he gone intending not to return?"

"Undoubtedly; - at ten o'clock at night his horses took himto the barrier of Charenton; there a post-chaise was waitingfor him - he entered it with his valet de chambre, sayingthat he was going to Fontainebleau."

"Then what did you mean" -

"Stay - he left a letter for me."

"A letter?"

"Yes; read it." And the baroness took from her pocket aletter which she gave to Debray. Debray paused a momentbefore reading, as if trying to guess its contents, orperhaps while making up his mind how to act, whatever itmight contain. No doubt his ideas were arranged in a fewminutes, for he began reading the letter which caused somuch uneasiness in the heart of the baroness, and which ranas follows: -

"Madame and most faithful wife."

Debray mechanically stopped and looked at the baroness,whose face became covered with blushes. "Read," she said.

Debray continued: -

"When you receive this, you will no longer have a husband.Oh, you need not be alarmed, you will only have lost him asyou have lost your daughter; I mean that I shall betravelling on one of the thirty or forty roads leading outof France. I owe you some explanations for my conduct, andas you are a woman that can perfectly understand me, I willgive them. Listen, then. I received this morning fivemillions which I paid away; almost directly afterwardsanother demand for the same sum was presented to me; I putthis creditor off till to-morrow and I intend leavingto-day, to escape that to-morrow, which would be rather toounpleasant for me to endure. You understand this, do younot, my most precious wife? I say you understand this,because you are as conversant with my affairs as I am;indeed, I think you understand them better, since I amignorant of what has become of a considerable portion of myfortune, once very tolerable, while I am sure, madame, thatyou know perfectly well. For women have infallibleinstincts; they can even explain the marvellous by analgebraic calculation they have invented; but I, who onlyunderstand my own figures, know nothing more than that oneday these figures deceived me. Have you admired the rapidityof my fall? Have you been slightly dazzled at the suddenfusion of my ingots? I confess I have seen nothing but thefire; let us hope you have found some gold among the ashes.With this consoling idea, I leave you, madame, and mostprudent wife, without any conscientious reproach forabandoning you; you have friends left, and the ashes I havealready mentioned, and above all the liberty I hasten torestore to you. And here, madame, I must add another word ofexplanation. So long as I hoped you were working for thegood of our house and for the fortune of our daughter, Iphilosophically closed my eyes; but as you have transformedthat house into a vast ruin I will not be the foundation ofanother man's fortune. You were rich when I married you, butlittle respected. Excuse me for speaking so very candidly,but as this is intended only for ourselves, I do not see whyI should weigh my words. I have augmented our fortune, andit has continued to increase during the last fifteen years,till extraordinary and unexpected catastrophes have suddenlyoverturned it, - without any fault of mine, I can honestlydeclare. You, madame, have only sought to increase your own,and I am convinced that you have succeeded. I leave you,therefore, as I took you, - rich, but little respected.Adieu! I also intend from this time to work on my ownaccount. Accept my acknowledgments for the example you haveset me, and which I intend following.

"Your very devoted husband,

"Baron Danglars."

The baroness had watched Debray while he read this long andpainful letter, and saw him, notwithstanding hisself-control, change color once or twice. When he had endedthe perusal, he folded the letter and resumed his pensiveattitude. "Well?" asked Madame Danglars, with an anxietyeasy to be understood.

"Well, madame?" unhesitatingly repeated Debray.

"With what ideas does that letter inspire you?"

"Oh, it is simple enough, madame; it inspires me with theidea that M. Danglars has left suspiciously."

"Certainly; but is this all you have to say to me?"

"I do not understand you," said Debray with freezingcoldness.

"He is gone! Gone, never to return!"

"Oh, madame, do not think that!"

"I tell you he will never return. I know his character; heis inflexible in any resolutions formed for his owninterests. If he could have made any use of me, he wouldhave taken me with him; he leaves me in Paris, as ourseparation will conduce to his benefit; - therefore he hasgone, and I am free forever," added Madame Danglars, in thesame supplicating tone. Debray, instead of answering,allowed her to remain in an attitude of nervous inquiry."Well?" she said at length, "do you not answer me?"

"I have but one question to ask you, - what do you intendto do?"

"I was going to ask you," replied the baroness with abeating heart.

"Ah, then, you wish to ask advice of me?"

"Yes; I do wish to ask your advice," said Madame Danglarswith anxious expectation.

"Then if you wish to take my advice," said the young mancoldly, "I would recommend you to travel."

"To travel!" she murmured.

"Certainly; as M. Danglars says, you are rich, and perfectlyfree. In my opinion, a withdrawal from Paris is absolutelynecessary after the double catastrophe of MademoiselleDanglars' broken contract and M. Danglars' disappearance.The world will think you abandoned and poor, for the wife ofa bankrupt would never be forgiven, were she to keep up anappearance of opulence. You have only to remain in Paris forabout a fortnight, telling the world you are abandoned, andrelating the details of this desertion to your best friends,who will soon spread the report. Then you can quit yourhouse, leaving your jewels and giving up your jointure, andevery one's mouth will be filled with praises of yourdisinterestedness. They will know you are deserted, andthink you also poor, for I alone know your real financialposition, and am quite ready to give up my accounts as anhonest partner." The dread with which the pale andmotionless baroness listened to this, was equalled by thecalm indifference with which Debray had spoken. "Deserted?"she repeated; "ah, yes, I am, indeed, deserted! You areright, sir, and no one can doubt my position." These werethe only words that this proud and violently enamoured womancould utter in response to Debray.

"But then you are rich, - very rich, indeed," continuedDebray, taking out some papers from his pocket-book, whichhe spread upon the table. Madame Danglars did not see them;she was engaged in stilling the beatings of her heart, andrestraining the tears which were ready to gush forth. Atlength a sense of dignity prevailed, and if she did notentirely master her agitation, she at least succeeded inpreventing the fall of a single tear. "Madame," said Debray,"it is nearly six months since we have been associated. Youfurnished a principal of 100,000 francs. Our partnershipbegan in the month of April. In May we commenced operations,and in the course of the month gained 450,000 francs. InJune the profit amounted to 900,000. In July we added1,700,000 francs, - it was, you know, the month of theSpanish bonds. In August we lost 300,000 francs at thebeginning of the month, but on the 13th we made up for it,and we now find that our accounts, reckoning from the firstday of partnership up to yesterday, when I closed them,showed a capital of 2,400,000 francs, that is, 1,200,000 foreach of us. Now, madame," said Debray, delivering up hisaccounts in the methodical manner of a stockbroker, "thereare still 80,000 francs, the interest of this money, in myhands."

"But," said the baroness, "I thought you never put the moneyout to interest."

"Excuse me, madame," said Debray coldly, "I had yourpermission to do so, and I have made use of it. There are,then, 40,000 francs for your share, besides the 100,000 youfurnished me to begin with, making in all 1,340,000 francsfor your portion. Now, madame, I took the precaution ofdrawing out your money the day before yesterday; it is notlong ago, you see, and I was in continual expectation ofbeing called on to deliver up my accounts. There is yourmoney, - half in bank-notes, the other half in checkspayable to bearer. I say there, for as I did not consider myhouse safe enough, or lawyers sufficiently discreet, and aslanded property carries evidence with it, and moreover sinceyou have no right to possess anything independent of yourhusband, I have kept this sum, now your whole fortune, in achest concealed under that closet, and for greater securityI myself concealed it there.

"Now, madame," continued Debray, first opening the closet,then the chest; - "now, madame, here are 800 notes of 1,000francs each, resembling, as you see, a large book bound iniron; to this I add a certificate in the funds of 25,000francs; then, for the odd cash, making I think about 110,000francs, here is a check upon my banker, who, not being M.Danglars, will pay you the amount, you may rest assured."Madame Danglars mechanically took the check, the bond, andthe heap of bank-notes. This enormous fortune made no greatappearance on the table. Madame Danglars, with tearlesseyes, but with her breast heaving with concealed emotion,placed the bank-notes in her bag, put the certificate andcheck into her pocket-book, and then, standing pale andmute, awaited one kind word of consolation. But she waitedin vain.

"Now, madame," said Debray, "you have a splendid fortune, anincome of about 60,000 livres a year, which is enormous fora woman who cannot keep an establishment here for a year, atleast. You will be able to indulge all your fancies;besides, should you find your income insufficient, you can,for the sake of the past, madame, make use of mine; and I amready to offer you all I possess, on loan."

"Thank you, sir - thank you," replied the baroness; "youforget that what you have just paid me is much more than apoor woman requires, who intends for some time, at least, toretire from the world."

Debray was, for a moment, surprised, but immediatelyrecovering himself, he bowed with an air which seemed tosay, "As you please, madame."

Madame Danglars had until then, perhaps, hoped forsomething; but when she saw the careless bow of Debray, andthe glance by which it was accompanied, together with hissignificant silence, she raised her head, and withoutpassion or violence or even hesitation, ran down-stairs,disdaining to address a last farewell to one who could thuspart from her. "Bah," said Debray, when she had left, "theseare fine projects! She will remain at home, read novels, andspeculate at cards, since she can no longer do so on theBourse." Then taking up his account book, he cancelled withthe greatest care all the entries of the amounts he had justpaid away. "I have 1,060,000 francs remaining," he said."What a pity Mademoiselle de Villefort is dead! She suitedme in every respect, and I would have married her." And hecalmly waited until the twenty minutes had elapsed afterMadame Danglars' departure before he left the house. Duringthis time he occupied himself in making figures, with hiswatch by his side.

Asmodeus - that diabolical personage, who would have beencreated by every fertile imagination if Le Sage had notacquired the priority in his great masterpiece - would haveenjoyed a singular spectacle, if he had lifted up the roofof the little house in the Rue Saint-Germain-des-Pres, whileDebray was casting up his figures. Above the room in whichDebray had been dividing two millions and a half with MadameDanglars was another, inhabited by persons who have playedtoo prominent a part in the incidents we have related fortheir appearance not to create some interest. Mercedes andAlbert were in that room. Mercedes was much changed withinthe last few days; not that even in her days of fortune shehad ever dressed with the magnificent display which makes usno longer able to recognize a woman when she appears in aplain and simple attire; nor indeed, had she fallen intothat state of depression where it is impossible to concealthe garb of misery; no, the change in Mercedes was that hereye no longer sparkled, her lips no longer smiled, and therewas now a hesitation in uttering the words which formerlysprang so fluently from her ready wit.

It was not poverty which had broken her spirit; it was not awant of courage which rendered her poverty burdensome.Mercedes, although deposed from the exalted position she hadoccupied, lost in the sphere she had now chosen, like aperson passing from a room splendidly lighted into utterdarkness, appeared like a queen, fallen from her palace to ahovel, and who, reduced to strict necessity, could neitherbecome reconciled to the earthen vessels she was herselfforced to place upon the table, nor to the humble palletwhich had become her bed. The beautiful Catalane and noblecountess had lost both her proud glance and charming smile,because she saw nothing but misery around her; the wallswere hung with one of the gray papers which economicallandlords choose as not likely to show the dirt; the floorwas uncarpeted; the furniture attracted the attention to thepoor attempt at luxury; indeed, everything offended eyesaccustomed to refinement and elegance.

Madame de Morcerf had lived there since leaving her house;the continual silence of the spot oppressed her; still,seeing that Albert continually watched her countenance tojudge the state of her feelings, she constrained herself toassume a monotonous smile of the lips alone, which,contrasted with the sweet and beaming expression thatusually shone from her eyes, seemed like "moonlight on astatue," - yielding light without warmth. Albert, too, wasill at ease; the remains of luxury prevented him fromsinking into his actual position. If he wished to go outwithout gloves, his hands appeared too white; if he wishedto walk through the town, his boots seemed too highlypolished. Yet these two noble and intelligent creatures,united by the indissoluble ties of maternal and filial love,had succeeded in tacitly understanding one another, andeconomizing their stores, and Albert had been able to tellhis mother without extorting a change of countenance, - "Mother, we have no more money."

Mercedes had never known misery; she had often, in heryouth, spoken of poverty, but between want and necessity,those synonymous words, there is a wide difference. Amongstthe Catalans, Mercedes wished for a thousand things, butstill she never really wanted any. So long as the nets weregood, they caught fish; and so long as they sold their fish,they were able to buy twine for new nets. And then, shut outfrom friendship, having but one affection, which could notbe mixed up with her ordinary pursuits, she thought ofherself - of no one but herself. Upon the little she earnedshe lived as well as she could; now there were two to besupported, and nothing to live upon.

Winter approached. Mercedes had no fire in that cold andnaked room - she, who was accustomed to stoves which heatedthe house from the hall to the boudoir; she had not even onelittle flower - she whose apartment had been a conservatoryof costly exotics. But she had her son. Hitherto theexcitement of fulfilling a duty had sustained them.Excitement, like enthusiasm, sometimes renders usunconscious to the things of earth. But the excitement hadcalmed down, and they felt themselves obliged to descendfrom dreams to reality; after having exhausted the ideal,they found they must talk of the actual.

"Mother," exclaimed Albert, just as Madame Danglars wasdescending the stairs, "let us reckon our riches, if youplease; I want capital to build my plans upon."

"Capital - nothing!" replied Mercedes with a mournfulsmile.

"No, mother, - capital 3,000 francs. And I have an idea ofour leading a delightful life upon this 3,000 francs."

"Child!" sighed Mercedes.

"Alas, dear mother," said the young man, "I have unhappilyspent too much of your money not to know the value of it.These 3,000 francs are enormous, and I intend building uponthis foundation a miraculous certainty for the future."

"You say this, my dear boy; but do you think we ought toaccept these 3,000 francs?" said Mercedes, coloring.

"I think so," answered Albert in a firm tone. "We willaccept them the more readily, since we have them not here;you know they are buried in the garden of the little housein the Allees de Meillan, at Marseilles. With 200 francs wecan reach Marseilles."

"With 200 francs? - are you sure, Albert?"

"Oh, as for that, I have made inquiries respecting thediligences and steamboats, and my calculations are made. Youwill take your place in the coupe to Chalons. You see,mother, I treat you handsomely for thirty-five francs."Albert then took a pen, and wrote: -

Frs.Coupe, thirty-five francs ............................ 35From Chalons to Lyons you will go on by the steamboat- six francs ......................................... 6From Lyons to Avignon (still by steamboat),sixteen francs ....................................... 16From Avignon to Marseilles, seven franc................ 7Expenses on the road, about fifty francs ............. 50Total................................................ 114 frs.

"Let us put down 120," added Albert, smiling. "You see I amgenerous, am I not, mother?"

"But you, my poor child?"

"I? do you not see that I reserve eighty francs for myself?A young man does not require luxuries; besides, I know whattravelling is."

"With a post-chaise and valet de chambre?"

"Any way, mother."

"Well, be it so. But these 200 francs?"

"Here they are, and 200 more besides. See, I have sold mywatch for 100 francs, and the guard and seals for 300. Howfortunate that the ornaments were worth more than the watch.Still the same story of superfluities! Now I think we arerich, since instead of the 114 francs we require for thejourney we find ourselves in possession of 250."

"But we owe something in this house?"

"Thirty francs; but I pay that out of my 150 francs, - thatis understood, - and as I require only eighty francs for myjourney, you see I am overwhelmed with luxury. But that isnot all. What do you say to this, mother?"

And Albert took out of a little pocket-book with goldenclasps, a remnant of his old fancies, or perhaps a tendersouvenir from one of the mysterious and veiled ladies whoused to knock at his little door, - Albert took out of thispocket-book a note of 1,000 francs.

"What is this?" asked Mercedes.

"A thousand francs."

"But whence have you obtained them?"

"Listen to me, mother, and do not yield too much toagitation." And Albert, rising, kissed his mother on bothcheeks, then stood looking at her. "You cannot imagine,mother, how beautiful I think you!" said the young man,impressed with a profound feeling of filial love. "You are,indeed, the most beautiful and most noble woman I ever saw!"

"Dear child!" said Mercedes, endeavoring in vain to restraina tear which glistened in the corner of her eye. "Indeed,you only wanted misfortune to change my love for you toadmiration. I am not unhappy while I possess my son!"

"Ah, just so," said Albert; "here begins the trial. Do youknow the decision we have come to, mother?"

"Have we come to any?"

"Yes; it is decided that you are to live at Marseilles, andthat I am to leave for Africa, where I will earn for myselfthe right to use the name I now bear, instead of the one Ihave thrown aside." Mercedes sighed. "Well, mother, Iyesterday engaged myself as substitute in the Spahis,"*added the young man, lowering his eyes with a certainfeeling of shame, for even he was unconscious of thesublimity of his self-abasement. "I thought my body was myown, and that I might sell it. I yesterday took the place ofanother. I sold myself for more than I thought I was worth,"he added, attempting to smile; "I fetched 2,000 francs."

The Spahis are French cavalry reserved for service inAfrica.

"Then these 1,000 francs" - said Mercedes, shuddering -

"Are the half of the sum, mother; the other will be paid ina year."

Mercedes raised her eyes to heaven with an expression itwould be impossible to describe, and tears, which hadhitherto been restrained, now yielded to her emotion, andran down her cheeks.

"The price of his blood!" she murmured.

"Yes, if I am killed," said Albert, laughing. "But I assureyou, mother, I have a strong intention of defending myperson, and I never felt half so strong an inclination tolive as I do now."

"Merciful heavens!"

"Besides, mother, why should you make up your mind that I amto be killed? Has Lamoriciere, that Ney of the South, beenkilled? Has Changarnier been killed? Has Bedeau been killed?Has Morrel, whom we know, been killed? Think of your joy,mother, when you see me return with an embroidered uniform!I declare, I expect to look magnificent in it, and chosethat regiment only from vanity." Mercedes sighed whileendeavoring to smile; the devoted mother felt that she oughtnot to allow the whole weight of the sacrifice to fall uponher son. "Well, now you understand, mother!" continuedAlbert; "here are more than 4,000 francs settled on you;upon these you can live at least two years."

"Do you think so?" said Mercedes. These words were utteredin so mournful a tone that their real meaning did not escapeAlbert; he felt his heart beat, and taking his mother's handwithin his own he said, tenderly, -

"Yes, you will live!"

"I shall live! - then you will not leave me, Albert?"

"Mother, I must go," said Albert in a firm, calm voice; "youlove me too well to wish me to remain useless and idle withyou; besides, I have signed."

"You will obey your own wish and the will of heaven!"

"Not my own wish, mother, but reason - necessity. Are wenot two despairing creatures? What is life to you? - Nothing. What is life to me? - Very little without you,mother; for believe me, but for you I should have ceased tolive on the day I doubted my father and renounced his name.Well, I will live, if you promise me still to hope; and ifyou grant me the care of your future prospects, you willredouble my strength. Then I will go to the governor ofAlgeria; he has a royal heart, and is essentially a soldier;I will tell him my gloomy story. I will beg him to turn hiseyes now and then towards me, and if he keep his word andinterest himself for me, in six months I shall be anofficer, or dead. If I am an officer, your fortune iscertain, for I shall have money enough for both, and,moreover, a name we shall both be proud of, since it will beour own. If I am killed - well then mother, you can alsodie, and there will be an end of our misfortunes."

"It is well," replied Mercedes, with her eloquent glance;"you are right, my love; let us prove to those who arewatching our actions that we are worthy of compassion."

"But let us not yield to gloomy apprehensions," said theyoung man; "I assure you we are, or rather we shall be, veryhappy. You are a woman at once full of spirit andresignation; I have become simple in my tastes, and amwithout passion, I hope. Once in service, I shall be rich - once in M. Dantes' house, you will be at rest. Let usstrive, I beseech you, - let us strive to be cheerful."

"Yes, let us strive, for you ought to live, and to be happy,Albert."

"And so our division is made, mother," said the young man,affecting ease of mind. "We can now part; come, I shallengage your passage."

"And you, my dear boy?"

"I shall stay here for a few days longer; we must accustomourselves to parting. I want recommendations and someinformation relative to Africa. I will join you again atMarseilles."

"Well, be it so - let us part," said Mercedes, foldingaround her shoulders the only shawl she had taken away, andwhich accidentally happened to be a valuable black cashmere.Albert gathered up his papers hastily, rang the bell to paythe thirty francs he owed to the landlord, and offering hisarm to his mother, they descended the stairs. Some one waswalking down before them, and this person, hearing therustling of a silk dress, turned around. "Debray!" mutteredAlbert.

"You, Morcerf?" replied the secretary, resting on thestairs. Curiosity had vanquished the desire of preservinghis incognito, and he was recognized. It was, indeed,strange in this unknown spot to find the young man whosemisfortunes had made so much noise in Paris.

"Morcerf!" repeated Debray. Then noticing in the dim lightthe still youthful and veiled figure of Madame de Morcerf:- "Pardon me," he added with a smile, "I leave you,Albert." Albert understood his thoughts. "Mother," he said,turning towards Mercedes, "this is M. Debray, secretary ofthe minister for the interior, once a friend of mine."

"How once?" stammered Debray; "what do you mean?"

"I say so, M. Debray, because I have no friends now, and Iought not to have any. I thank you for having recognized me,sir." Debray stepped forward, and cordially pressed the handof his interlocutor. "Believe me, dear Albert," he said,with all the emotion he was capable of feeling, - "believeme, I feel deeply for your misfortunes, and if in any way Ican serve you, I am yours."

"Thank you, sir," said Albert, smiling. "In the midst of ourmisfortunes, we are still rich enough not to requireassistance from any one. We are leaving Paris, and when ourjourney is paid, we shall have 5,000 francs left." The bloodmounted to the temples of Debray, who held a million in hispocket-book, and unimaginative as he was he could not helpreflecting that the same house had contained two women, oneof whom, justly dishonored, had left it poor with 1,500,000francs under her cloak, while the other, unjustly stricken,but sublime in her misfortune, was yet rich with a fewdeniers. This parallel disturbed his usual politeness, thephilosophy he witnessed appalled him, he muttered a fewwords of general civility and ran down-stairs.

That day the minister's clerks and the subordinates had agreat deal to put up with from his ill-humor. But that samenight, he found himself the possessor of a fine house,situated on the Boulevard de la Madeleine, and an income of50,000 livres. The next day, just as Debray was signing thedeed, that is about five o'clock in the afternoon, Madame deMorcerf, after having affectionately embraced her son,entered the coupe of the diligence, which closed upon her. Aman was hidden in Lafitte's banking-house, behind one of thelittle arched windows which are placed above each desk; hesaw Mercedes enter the diligence, and he also saw Albertwithdraw. Then he passed his hand across his forehead, whichwas clouded with doubt. "Alas," he exclaimed, "how can Irestore the happiness I have taken away from these poorinnocent creatures? God help me!"