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or dandling her imaginary child； when suddenly they were stopped by
the sound of two or three chords struck by the hand of a master on a
piano of the finest sonority。
〃What is that？〃 asked la Peyrade。
〃That is Lydie；〃 replied Corentin； with what might be called an
expression of paternal pride； 〃she is an admirable musician； and
though she no longer writes down； as in the days when her mind was
clear； her delightful melodies； she often improvises them in a way
that moves me to the soulthe soul of Corentin！〃 added the old man；
smiling。 〃Is not that the finest praise I can bestow upon her？ But
suppose we sit down here and listen to her。 If we go in； the concert
will cease and the medical consultation begin。〃
La Peyrade was amazed as he listened to an improvisation in which the
rare union of inspiration and science opened to his impressionable
nature a source of emotions as deep as they were unexpected。 Corentin
watched the surprise which from moment to moment the Provencal
expressed by admiring exclamations。
〃Hein！ how she plays！〃 said the old man。 〃Liszt himself hasn't a
firmer touch。〃
To a very quick 〃scherzo〃 the performer now added the first notes of
an 〃adagio。〃
〃She is going to sing；〃 said Corentin； recognizing the air。
〃Does she sing too？〃 asked la Peyrade。
〃Like Pasta； like Malibran； but hush； listen to her！〃
After a few opening bars in 〃arpeggio〃 a vibrant voice resounded； the
tones of which appeared to stir the Provencal to the depths of his
being。
〃How the music moves you！〃 said Corentin； 〃you were undoubtedly made
for each other。〃
〃My God！ the same air！ the same voice！〃
〃Have you already met Lydie somewhere？〃 asked the great master of the
police。
〃I don't knowI think not；〃 answered la Peyrade； in a stammering
voice； 〃in any case； it was long agoBut that airthat voiceI
think〃
〃Let us go in；〃 said Corentin。
Opening the door abruptly； he entered； pulling the young man after
him。
Sitting with her back to the door； and prevented by the sound of the
piano from hearing what happened behind her； Lydie did not notice
their entrance。
〃Now have you any remembrance of her？〃 said Corentin。
La Peyrade advanced a step； and no sooner had he caught a glimpse of
the girl's profile than he threw up his hands above his head； striking
them together。
〃It is she！〃 he cried。
Hearing his cry； Lydie turned round； and fixing her attention on
Corentin； she said：
〃How naughty and troublesome you are to come and disturb me； you know
very well I don't like to be listened to。 Ah！ but〃 she added；
catching sight of la Peyrade's black coat； 〃you have brought the
doctor； that is very kind of you； I was just going to ask you to send
for him。 The baby has done nothing but cry since morning； I was
singing to put her to sleep； but nothing can do that。〃
And she ran to fetch what she called her child from a corner of the
room； where with two chairs laid on their backs and the cushions of
the sofa； she had constructed a sort of cradle。
As she went towards la Peyrade； carrying her precious bundle with one
hand； with the other she was arranging the imaginary cap of her
〃little darling；〃 having no eyes except for the sad creation of her
disordered brain。 Step by step； as she advanced； la Peyrade； pale；
trembling； and with staring eyes； retreated backwards； until he struck
against a seat； into which； losing his equilibrium； he fell。
A man of Corentin's power and experience； and who； moreover； knew to
its slightest detail the horrible drama in which Lydie had lost her
reason； had already； of course； taken in the situation； but it suited
his purpose and his ideas to allow the clear light of evidence to
pierce this darkness。
〃Look； doctor；〃 said Lydie； unfastening the bundle； and putting the
pins in her mouth as she did so； 〃don't you see that she is growing
thinner every day？〃
La Peyrade could not answer； he kept his handkerchief over his face；
and his breath came so fast from his chest that he was totally unable
to utter a word。
Then； with one of those gestures of feverish impatience； to which her
mental state predisposed her； she exclaimed； hastily：
〃But look at her doctor； look！〃 taking his arm violently and forcing
him to show his features。 〃My God！〃 she cried； when she had looked him
in the face。
Letting fall the linen bundle in her arms； she threw herself hastily
backwards； and her eyes grew haggard。 Passing her white hands rapidly
over her forehead and through her hair； tossing it into disorder； she
seemed to be making an effort to obtain from her memory some dormant
recollection。 Then； like a frightened mare； which comes to smell an
object that has given it a momentary terror； she approached la Peyrade
slowly； stooping to look into his face； which he kept lowered； while；
in the midst of a silence inexpressible； she examined him steadily for
several seconds。 Suddenly a terrible cry escaped her breast； she ran
for refuge into the arms of Corentin； and pressing herself against him
with all her force； she exclaimed：
〃Save me！ save me！ It is he！ the wretch！ It is he who did it！〃
And； with her finger pointed at la Peyrade； she seemed to nail the
miserable object of her terror to his place。
After this explosion； she muttered a few disconnected words； and her
eyes closed； Corentin felt the relaxing of all the muscles by which
she had held him as in a vice the moment before； and he took her in
his arms and laid her on the sofa； insensible。
〃Do not stay here； monsieur；〃 said Corentin。 〃Go into my study； I will
come to you presently。〃
A few minutes later； after giving Lydie into the care of Katte and
Bruneau； and despatching Perrache for Doctor Bianchon； Corentin
rejoined la Peyrade。
〃You see now； monsieur；〃 he said with solemnity； 〃that in pursuing
with a sort of passion the idea of this marriage； I was following； in
a sense； the ways of God。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said la Peyrade； with compunction； 〃I will confess to
you〃
〃Useless；〃 said Corentin； 〃you can tell me nothing that I do not know；
I； on the contrary； have much to tell you。 Old Peyrade； your uncle； in
the hope of earning a POT for this daughter whom he idolized； entered
into a dangerous private enterprise； the nature of which I need not
explain。 In it he made enemies； enemies who stopped at nothing；
murder； poison； rape。 To paralyze your uncle's action by attacking him
in his dearest spot； Lydie was； not abducted； but enticed from her
home and taken to a house apparently respectable； where for ten days
she was kept concealed。 She was not much alarmed by this detention；
being told that it was done at her father's wish； and she spent her
time with her musicyou remember； monsieur； how she sang？〃
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed la Peyrade； covering his face with his hands。
〃I told you yesterday that you might perhaps have more upon your
conscience than the Thuillier house。 But you were young； you had just
come from your province； with that brutality； that frenzy of Southern
blood in your veins which flings itself upon such an occasion。
Besides； your relationship became known to those who were preparing
the ruin of this new Clarissa Harlowe； and I am willing to believe
than an abler and better man than you might not have escaped the
entanglement into which you fell。 Happily； Providence has granted that
there is nothing absolutely irreparable in this horrible history。 The
same poison； according to the use that is made of it； may give either
death or health。〃
〃But； monsieur；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃shall I not always be to her an
object of horror？〃
〃The doctor； monsieur；〃 said Katte； opening the door。
〃How is Mademoiselle Lydie？〃 asked la Peyrade； eagerly。
〃Very calm；〃 replied Katte。 〃Just now； when we put her to bed；though
she did not want to go； saying she felt well；I took her the bundle
of linen； but she told me to take it away； and asked what I meant her
to do with it。〃
〃You see；〃 said Corentin； grasping the Provencal's hand； 〃you are the
lance of Achilles。〃
And he left the room with Katte to receive Doctor Bianchon。
Left alone； Theodose was a prey to thoughts which may perhaps be
imagined。 After a while the door opened； and Bruneau； the old valet；
ushered in Cerizet。 Seeing la Peyrade； the latter exclaimed：
〃Ha！ ha！ I knew it！ I knew you would end by seeing du Portail。 And the
marriage；how does that come on？〃
〃What are you doing here？〃 asked la Peyrade。
〃Something that concerns you； or rather； something that we must do
together。 Du Portail； who is too busy to attend to business just now；
has sent me in here to see you； and consult as to the best means of
putting a spoke in Thuillier's election； it seems that the government
is determined to prevent his winning it。 Have you any ideas about it？〃
〃No；〃 replied la Peyrade； 〃and I don't feel in the mood just now to be
imaginative。〃
〃Well； here's the situation；〃 said Cerizet。 〃The government has
another candidate； which it doesn't yet produce； because the
ministerial negotiations with him have been rather difficult。 During
this time Thuillier's chances have been making headway。 Minard； on
whom they counted to create a diversion； sits； the stupid fool； i