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daughter；'in short； to be a happy father。〃
〃Oh； father！ father！〃
〃After infinite difficulty； after searching the whole globe；〃
continued Ferragus； 〃my friends have found me the skin of a dead man
in which to take my place once more in social life。 A few days hence；
I shall be Monsieur de Funcal； a Portuguese count。 Ah！ my dear child；
there are few men of my age who would have had the patience to learn
Portuguese and English； which were spoken fluently by that devil of a
sailor； who was drowned at sea。〃
〃But； my dear father〃
〃All has been foreseen； and prepared。 A few days hence； his Majesty
John VI。； King of Portugal will be my accomplice。 My child； you must
have a little patience where your father has had so much。 But ah！ what
would I not do to reward your devotion for the last three years；
coming religiously to comfort your old father； at the risk of your own
peace！〃
〃Father！〃 cried Clemence； taking his hands and kissing them。
〃Come； my child； have courage still； keep my fatal secret a few days
longer； till the end is reached。 Jules is not an ordinary man； I know；
but are we sure that his lofty character and his noble love may not
impel him to dislike the daughter of a〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Clemence； 〃you have read my heart； I have no other fear
than that。 The very thought turns me to ice；〃 she added； in a heart…
rending tone。 〃But； father； think that I have promised him the truth
in two hours。〃
〃If so； my daughter； tell him to go to the Portuguese embassy and see
the Comte de Funcal； your father。 I will be there。〃
〃But Monsieur de Maulincour has told him of Ferragus。 Oh； father； what
torture； to deceive； deceive； deceive！〃
〃Need you say that to me？ But only a few days more； and no living man
will be able to expose me。 Besides； Monsieur de Maulincour is beyond
the faculty of remembering。 Come； dry your tears； my silly child； and
think〃
At this instant a terrible cry rang from the room in which Jules
Desmarets was stationed。
The clamor was heard by Madame Jules and Ferragus through the opening
of the wall； and struck them with terror。
〃Go and see what it means； Clemence；〃 said her father。
Clemence ran rapidly down the little staircase； found the door into
Madame Gruget's apartment wide open； heard the cries which echoed from
the upper floor； went up the stairs； guided by the noise of sobs； and
caught these words before she entered the fatal chamber：
〃You； monsieur； you； with your horrid inventions；you are the cause
of her death！〃
〃Hush； miserable woman！〃 replied Jules； putting his handkerchief on
the mouth of the old woman； who began at once to cry out； 〃Murder！
help！〃
At this instant Clemence entered； saw her husband； uttered a cry； and
fled away。
〃Who will save my child？〃 cried the widow Gruget。 〃You have murdered
her。〃
〃How？〃 asked Jules； mechanically； for he was horror…struck at being
seen by his wife。
〃Read that；〃 said the old woman； giving him a letter。 〃Can money or
annuities console me for that？〃
Farewell； mother！ I bequeeth you what I have。 I beg your pardon
for my forlts； and the last greef to which I put you by ending my
life in the river。 Henry； who I love more than myself； says I have
made his misfortune； and as he has drifen me away； and I have lost
all my hops of merrying him； I am going to droun myself。 I shall
go abov Neuilly； so that they can't put me in the Morg。 If Henry
does not hate me anny more after I am ded； ask him to berry a pore
girl whose hart beet for him only； and to forgif me； for I did
rong to meddle in what didn't consern me。 Tak care of his wounds。
How much he sufered； pore fellow！ I shall have as much corage to
kill myself as he had to burn his bak。 Carry home the corsets I
have finished。 And pray God for your daughter。
Ida。
〃Take this letter to Monsieur de Funcal； who is upstairs；〃 said Jules。
〃He alone can save your daughter； if there is still time。〃
So saying he disappeared； running like a man who has committed a
crime。 His legs trembled。 The hot blood poured into his swelling heart
in torrents greater than at any other moment of his life； and left it
again with untold violence。 Conflicting thoughts struggled in his
mind； and yet one thought predominated；he had not been loyal to the
being he loved most。 It was impossible for him to argue with his
conscience； whose voice； rising high with conviction； came like an
echo of those inward cries of his love during the cruel hours of doubt
he had lately lived through。
He spent the greater part of the day wandering about Paris； for he
dared not go home。 This man of integrity and honor feared to meet the
spotless brow of the woman he had misjudged。 We estimate wrongdoing in
proportion to the purity of our conscience； the deed which is scarcely
a fault in some hearts； takes the proportions of a crime in certain
unsullied souls。 The slightest stain on the white garment of a virgin
makes it a thing ignoble as the rags of a mendicant。 Between the two
the difference lies in the misfortune of the one； the wrong…doing of
the other。 God never measures repentance； he never apportions it。 As
much is needed to efface a spot as to obliterate the crimes of a
lifetime。 These reflections fell with all their weight on Jules；
passions； like human laws； will not pardon； and their reasoning is
more just； for are they not based upon a conscience of their own as
infallible as an instinct？
Jules finally came home pale； despondent； crushed beneath a sense of
his wrong…doing； and yet expressing in spite of himself the joy his
wife's innocence had given him。 He entered her room all throbbing with
emotion； she was in bed with a high fever。 He took her hand； kissed
it； and covered it with tears。
〃Dear angel；〃 he said； when they were alone； 〃it is repentance。〃
〃And for what？〃 she answered。
As she made that reply； she laid her head back upon the pillow； closed
her eyes； and remained motionless； keeping the secret of her
sufferings that she might not frighten her husband；the tenderness of
a mother； the delicacy of an angel！ All the woman was in her answer。
The silence lasted long。 Jules； thinking her asleep； went to question
Josephine as to her mistress's condition。
〃Madame came home half…dead； monsieur。 We sent at once for Monsieur
Haudry。〃
〃Did he come？ What did he say？〃
〃He said nothing； monsieur。 He did not seem satisfied； gave orders
that no one should go near madame except the nurse； and said he should
come back this evening。〃
Jules returned softly to his wife's room and sat down in a chair
before the bed。 There he remained； motionless； with his eyes fixed on
those of Clemence。 When she raised her eyelids she saw him； and
through those lids passed a tender glance； full of passionate love；
free from reproach and bitterness；a look which fell like a flame of
fire upon the heart of that husband； nobly absolved and forever loved
by the being whom he had killed。 The presentiment of death struck both
their minds with equal force。 Their looks were blended in one anguish；
as their hearts had long been blended in one love； felt equally by
both； and shared equally。 No questions were uttered； a horrible
certainty was there；in the wife an absolute generosity； in the
husband an awful remorse； then； in both souls the same vision of the
end； the same conviction of fatality。
There came a moment when； thinking his wife asleep； Jules kissed her
softly on the forehead； then after long contemplation of that
cherished face； he said：
〃Oh God！ leave me this angel still a little while that I may blot out
my wrong by love and adoration。 As a daughter； she is sublime； as a
wife； what word can express her？〃
Clemence raised her eyes； they were full of tears。
〃You pain me；〃 she said； in a feeble voice。
It was getting late； Doctor Haudry came； and requested the husband to
withdraw during his visit。 When the doctor left the sick…room Jules
asked him no question； one gesture was enough。
〃Call in consultation any physician in whom you place confidence； I
may be wrong。〃
〃Doctor； tell me the truth。 I am a man； and I can bear it。 Besides； I
have the deepest interest in knowing it；