The Novelist.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 12, 13 January 1877, Page 1

The Novelist.

♦ THE VALAZY FAMILY. [continued.] ; They were gone at last, and to my great relief. But presently it occurred to me that, for. Estelle's sake, I ought not to permit any personal dislike of her intended husband to stand in the way of a renewal of our intercourse, cast as she was about to be without healthy guidance — into the midst of a vain, .deceptive, and to her, utterly unknown world. I therefore hurried out with the intention of calling back Vaiazy and Louison,- and as inoffensively as might be— for I felt I had been too ready to return jibe for jibe — intimate my willingneas to assist at the marriage ceremony. They were already out of sight, and, upon turning the corner of the next street, I saw them in the act of mounting a char-a--banc, in waiting for tbem in front of tbe Toisoii d'Or. They saw me at the same moment, anl waving them to stop, I hurried on. Doubtless, they guessed my purpose, and determining to balk it, they ordered the conductor, in a loud voice, to drive on. He obeyed, and tbe splashing of the mud of that always filthy : street over my face and clothes by the whirling wheels of ,the char-a-banc, accompanied by the loud laughter of the two gentlemen, was the only reply I received to the scarcely articulate request my failing breath just enabled me to prefer, for a few moments' delay. They continued, as long as I remained in view, to wave their hats with mocking . courtesy, towards the bemired priest ; and I could not help reflecting, as I wiped tbe foul mud from my face and dress, with a bitterness of spirit which so really trifling an incident ought not to. have excited, upon the difference between their triumphant and ray humiliating condition. That emotion of corrupt, rebellious human nature was signally rebuked. Those acquainted with the locality may remember an old-fashioned house, having an arched gateway, upon tbe central stone of which the Latin sentence, " Finis coronat opus," is deeply graven in large letters. Chancing to lift my eyes in that direction, those words glared out at me, so to speak, from the silent stone with striking rep-oof. "True, most true," I murmured; "it is indeed the end which crowns the work ; and the end with yonder jubilant scoffers is not yet. No, nor witb my sel £ ; let me notforget— "N c nos induce in tentationem, Domine. Amen!" The nupital benediction was pronounced upon Camille Louison and his charming bride at the cathedral church of St. John the Baptist, immediately after which they left " en prince" for their wedding tour. I beard nothing more for several months, except incidentally that Monsieur and Madame .Louison were handsomely domiciled in the Place Bellecour, and leading there a life of gaiety and splendour very .much in contrast witb the modest menage bf the prodigal young merchant's deceased ._ father. Etienne Vaiazy, M. Laurencon, Y % whom I met one day and had a long gossip with on the Point d'Ainay, informed jme; — sagacious Etienne Vaiazy was waxing rapidly in prosperity and honour. "He is about to pur _hase,"continued M. Laurencon, " a very large slice of Pierre Marcel's heritage, which you are aware adjoins his own •grounds. That young man, be it said, in passing, Father Ronzard, is going fast to the dog 3. Lan sorry for it, for I know his father well ; and. Pierre himself his fine . qualities... The marriage of Estelle Vaiazy with Camille Louison has demoralized him/ .7. "P0, you speak seriously?" • , t r Entirely, so. It is true that such mari

tive and ardent-minded young man's morale as to lead to permanently dissipated habits. Pierre Marcel is an instance. He took to drink, and the habit remains, though the originatingimpulse has probably ceased to operate." " True, and sad as true ; I will see Pierre Marcel." "It may be as well to do so. And see," added the avocat, pointing with his cane to a prettily painted boat, full of gay company, that came sweeping over the sunlit waters of the Saone, and speaking as he did so with vivacity—" see where sweeps past the fair and fickle youthful dame herself. That is Louison's boat, though he is I not, I perceive, of the present party. He is fond of boating, but rouge et noire has, i I am told, just now, more attractions for him." ' ; . - " Is it so reported of him ?" " j " It.is so reported of bim ; and there are ] other trifles in connection with Camille _ Louison which, though not so publicly at ] least reported Of him, I feel quite confi- ] dent of. For example, that the seventy - or eighty thousand francs which he did ' not, I am satisfied, obtain with his wife, . he would' just now be heartily glad of ; i and that be already curses the infatuation i that induced him to purchase wily Valazy's 1 consent to his marriage with a beautiful girl of low connections at such a prepos- . terous cost." ] . " You astonish me 1 Was not Louison's ■ father immensely ribh ?" ' • "Not so immensely as was supposed, nor anything like it ; and the profusion of ; bis son requires a milord's income. But all this remember is between ourselves, tbe . more peremptorily so that it is just possible I may be mistaken : men and magistrates sometimes are ?" With tbis we shook bands and parted. The hints of the shrewd lawyer alarmed me for Estelle ; albeit that after conversing with Camille Louison, I had doubted greatly tbat a practised man of the world like him could have been cajoled— he being sure of the damsel's assent— into' surrendering tlie whole, or a principal part of Estelle's dowry, to her reputed father's use, ' unless, indeed, some otber element as yet unguessed of bad entered into and controlled the contract. If, for example —but it was useless striving with mortal eyes to pierce through tlie thick veil which concealed the revealing futire : that futur . would soon be the present, and till then I must wait witb patience. There was not long to wait; On the evening of tbe Ilth of October, as my diary records, Pierre Marcel, who had sedulously avoided me, suddenly presented himself as I sat moodily-meditative, in my narrow cell-study at Notre Dame. At first I failed to recognise in the bloated figure, cadaverous-hued, blotchy face, tbe glazed, dully-glowing eyes of the intruder, the fine, healthy, bright-eyed, agile young campagnard, Pierre Marcel, whom I had known. He muttered something which I did not catch in response to my exclamation of astonish -nent,. and staggering forward, caught a chair for support. "Wretched drunkard," I exclaimed, ; " how dare you presume to " An appea'ing look and a mournful gesture arrested my harsh words. •-" Spare me," he murmured ; " I am very wretched ; lost to life, to hope. True I have been drinking," be added, lowering his shamed eyes to the floor, " since, four this morning ; but it ia not tbat. Bear with me, Father Ronzard. lam come to speak with you of poor Estelle. You "know that she is dead ?" "Dead!" " That she was drowned last night in the Saone?" " Dead ! Drowned last night in the Saone ! Almighty Father— what may this mean?" "You have not then heard? Strange that! I thought all Lyons bad. Itis true — true as perdition." " Speak on, and quickly : how, when, where happened this ?" "I will tell you," said Pierre Marcel, mastering his emotion, and speaking rapidly. " Louison has been in the habit of boating on the Saone, like many others. I have often Avatched him when so engaged, narrowly so of late, because of certain thoughts that had got into my head. No matter now for that.. Well, last evening, after leaving the cafe on the Quai de Baleine, I observed that Monsieur Camille Louisonwas still rowing about in his lightest boat — a mere skiff — though the earlier stars were out, and darkness was fast falling. It was getting chilly, too, though the days are still warm ;- and Madaue Louison was in the boat alone — that is, of course, alone with her husband. At list it was quite dark : there was no moon, and the few stars that had shone themselves disappeared, the heavens having become clouded. I continued to strain my eyes over the dark river, and presently a low, prolongued, fearful scream was beard, and about where I had supposed tie boat to be I discerned a flutter of white garments, as of a woman standing up in the water : then all was still and dark as before. Others had heard the screams, and the alarm was given at the nearest corps-d?-garde; but nothingcould be ascertained till about two hours afterwards, when word reached the river officers that the skiif belonging to M. Camille Lduison, of the Place Bellecourd, had accidentally capsized whilst lie and his lady were in her, and that only he, Monsieur Camille Louison, had with much difficulty, he being a very indifferent swimmer, escaped a watery grave. Madame Louison was seen by her half-maddened husband to sink a few minutes after the accident occurred, and — 0 horror of horrors! — within a few yards of her husband, who could render her no help." Pierre Marcel paused in extreme agitation, and I read clearly in his, by that time, flaming eyes, the dreadful accusation to which he soon gave words. " 0 horror of |horrors !" he fiercely re- " newed. • " The phrase l 0 horror of hori rors !' is not mine ; it is in Louison's note I to the commissary; 'Maddened husband' - is his, too. The maddened husband says ■ the. accident occurred in consequence of i Madame Louison suddenly leaning over > the side of the skiff to catch at some article 5 of dress that had fallen into the water. EfJ fectively,"he continued with rising fury — ? " effectively, several articles of dress, of Madame Louison's dress, have been found, and amongst them this," he added, with a - wild burst of furious grief, as he drew iT.'from under his- boat ia large shawl dripping

them this scarf, which I found myself. 0 Estelle — angel, demon of my life — would tbat at least I might be permitted to avenge thee !" I gave bis sobbing passion way for several minutes, and then tremblingly asked if be really believed that Estelle had met with foul play at her husband's hands. " Foul play, yes !" he fiercely replied. " Yes, devil's play, at tbe hands of a fiend ! 1 swear to you, Reverend Father, that Louison purposely upset the boat, and threw Estelle into the river 1" "You swear he did! Why just now you said it was impossible t. see the boat ; how, then " "True, true," hastily interrupted the seemingly crazed young man ; I mean that I could swear Louison purposely upset the boat and cast Estelle into the river, with as safe a conscience as if with my own bodily eyes I had seen him do it ! I but rave to the winds ! Suspicion will not lift its dull, heavy eyes to him — he is too highly placed, Well, adieu. There will, you reverend messieurs tell us, come a day when such crimes, tbough hidden deep as the centre of the earth, will be revealed in : the full light of a brighter sun than ever shone upon this miserable earth. ■■■! trust that you speak truth in that, else by How did it happen; Father Ronzard," he abruptly broke off to say— --"how did it happen that Estelle— that Madame Louison — ceased to believe in your friendship, your solicitude for her ?" " How do you know that to be the case, Pierre Marcel ?" "How do I know? Oh, very well — long since. But I must be gone." "Stay awhile, Pierre Marcel. I must speak to yOu of yourself, even in the presence, as it were, of last night's terrible event. You are dying, young man — dying of suicidal excesses." " Quite true ; and who, when joy and hope are gone, would seek to retain life? Can you — can the Church give me back my golden youth, my spotless name, and self respeefc— give me back Estelle ?" "There is balm in Gilead, and a' Great Physician there." " I strive to believe so ; but neither holy balm nor Divine Physician will avail me aught in tbis world. I, however, promise," he added, with solemn earnestness, " that wben I know, when I feel that my last hour is at hand, I will send for you and lay bare ali the sad secrets of my soul — one tliat you can little dream of, and which I have sworn not to reveal till then. Adieu, reverend father ; pity, forgive, and pray for me." It occurs to me, as I transcribe this interview, bow strange it was that I did not at the time perceive tbe true interpretation of Pierre Marcel's incoherent language. Certainly I did not ; and possibly tbe reader, like myself, may fail to penetrate its meaning till the light of subsequent disclosures shines upon it. The. " Gazette de Lyons," gave, though witb much difference in tbe details, the story of poor Estelle's death, as related to me by Pierre Marcel ; and as he predicted would be the case, no shadow of suspicion glanced across the reputation of M. Louison, who was said to be completely overwhelmed by the loss, under such dreadful circumstances, of his tenderly-beloved young wife. The body was not found, though strenuous exertions to that end were made at M. Louison's instance and expense. It had doubtless been swept out to sea by the river's rapid volume, which shortly after the sad occurrence was swollen to a flood by heavy rains. And Time, swifter, more inexorable than the Saone, swept, as it sped by, the very memory, as it seemed, of Madame Louison's tragic fate from the tablets of men's minds. Generally so, I mean ; but certainly, as regards myself for one, quite the reverse ; the very incidents which would seem to act as aids to death in shutting her out of remembrance but the more firmly bound her to mine ; as, for example, M. Camille Louison's much-talked-of approaching marriage with Mademoiselle de Vetry, one of the wealthiest heiresses of Lyons, which, however, for some undisclosed reasons ultimately fell through — greatly, it was said, to the gentleman's chagrin and discomfiture. Meanwhile the world went joyously with M. Vaiazy; and early in the the spring of the following year, the " Gazette de Lyons" announced that M. Etienne Vaiazy, of Vaize, was about to be nominated to the highest municipal dignity of the commune where he was held in such distinguished consideration and respect. It was high midsummer, and that piediction of the "Gazette" had been some time before realized, when a scarcely decipherable scrawl reached me, composed, I with much difficulty made out, of these words : — " Pierre Marcel wishes to see Father Ronzard without a moment's delay. Quick ! quick !" I was with the writer as speedily as a fiacre could carry me, and was face to face with a piteous spectacle. Pierre Marcel was dying of delirium tremens, or more strictly, of the exhaustion consequent upon a prolongued attack of that terrible disorder ; for though rapidly sinking, I was told, and sustained only by powerful stimulants, his brain was as clear, his eye was as calm, his voice, though low, as steady, nay steadier than my own. " Let the room be cleared," he said, as I entered. This was done. " Now then, Father Ronzard ; — but where is your stole? I have sworn only to speak under the seal of. confession, and I must have all the guarantees. Good !" He then rapidly repeated the "Confiteor," and instantly added : — " Father Ronzard, Estelle lives !" '< Estelle lives?" " Interrupt me not. Yes, Estelle lives. I drew her out of the river into which, as , I hinted to you, she had been cast after a i struggle by her inhuman husband. Concealing her in a cloak, and agitated by I ■ know not what wild hopes, [ brought her ■ here ; taking care that no one saw her. . When fully restored to consciousness, she ' told me that she had suspected Louison of 3 meditating her destruction for some time E past, and that night he had ruthlessly enr deavoured to effect his murderous purpose. } Appear publicly as the accuser of the - father of her unborn child, sho could, not - — would not ; nor would she, for the E wealth of worlds, trust again her life in , his hands. There bad been previous illi usage, though not spoken in , words, as r was evident by the bitterness with which r her woman's heart rose 'against tho smooth-

not till that night that Vaiazy was nother father. Finally then, for I must, I feel, be brief, it was arranged that she should leave, disguised as a lad, by the Paris diligence, which left Vaize at four o'clock in the morning. I swore, upon the Evangel, never till after her husband's death, or when ai the point of death myself, and then only to a priest, to reveal that her life had been saved. The plan of escape succeeded ; and there is no more to be said, I think." " You have not said wbere Madame Louison may be found ?" "Hall forget. I must tell you all I know myself— how she may be found. A notice in the " Constitutionel," Paris paper, of her husband's death, will, should she be alive, and after she has authenticated it, cause her reappearance. You can go now," faintly added tbe moribund ; " my task is done." "Not so, my son ; of yourself you have not spoken, and the irredeemable nibments flee apace." His eyes, over which the weary lids had fallen, as if in sleep, unclosed, and there was a light, a brightness in them I had not seen before. " Did you know my mother?" asked the pale, quivering lips. " By report only, as a most pious, Christian woman." "A glorified angel now! I — but you will say I was dreaming — I saw her just before I sent that note to you; she stood where you now stand. I was not startled —awed only. She said tbat God had heard her prayers f»r me ; and that I was absolved in heaven. Then bending down, she imprinted a kiss upon my forehead ; and my fevered brain was in an instant stilled, calmed by that sign and seal of the divine benison. She then slowly disappeared, her glorified couutenance retaining, while visible to those gross, mortal eyes, an ineffable smile of love and tenderness and joy. I have no need, therefore, Father Ronzard, of priestly absolution." ' " You have had a beautiful dream, my son, and " ",Then," he interrupted, whilst a shadow — of what Presence I well knew— fell over his countenance, "I will die in tbat dream!. A profound stillness of several minutes, for I knew not wbat to urge, was suddenly broken by Pierre Marcel raising himself, from the pillows, and stretching forth his hands, with an ecstatic smile, as if towards someone beside me : — " Mother ! Beloved mother!" he murmured, and fell back a corpse. He had died in tbat dream ! I had a conversation before I left wth the aged woman who had served Pierre Marcel as housekeeper since his mother's death, and learned from her that, with all his excesses and waste, he had left no debts, and had secured for her an annuity for life of four hundred francs. He had no relative tbat she knew of— certainly not in that part of France, but possibly in Normandy, where the family came from. M. Vaiazy would have been kind to him during his last illness, but his offers were spurned; and when Vaiazy once forced himself into bis presence, the rage which the 6ight of his neighbor excited terminated in strong convulsions. A memorandum, I may here state, was subsequently found in Pierre Marcel's ecritore, directing that his grave should be made beside his mother's — his father's ashes reposed in the cemetery of another parish — and that tbe token which he wore round his neck should be buried with him. The token was a gold heart, on which was engraved " Estelie a Pierre." The curtain had fallen upon another act in the long tragedy which the fall from innocence of Estelle's mother had originated — intoned, as it were ; and as yet retribution had spared the guiltiest heads, which were still held triumphantly aloft, beyond the reach of or impervious to the fiery arrows of remorse or vengeance. "If this juggling life" — it was thus the feeble, shaken priest, staggering amidst the mental mists in whicli at all tinies men are plunged — "if this juggling life were, indeed, *as materialists affirm, the be-all and the end-all of poor humanity, who would not a thousand times rather be tbe victorious villain than the suffering saint — the prosperous, envied Etienne Vaiazy, who apparently awaits me yonder, than the meek penitent whose days he embittered— shortened !" "I salute you, Monsieur Ronzard," said Etienne Vaiazy, lifting his hat. "It is finished, I hear, with poor Marcel." " You have rightly beard that it is finished with Pierre Marcel in this world." " Exactly. My ideas, which I confess are limited, do not range beyond this world — to which, fortunately, they are well enough adapted, except, it may be, in the case of a venerable Arab. Excuse, Monsieur Ronzard, an old and rather sorry jest. What I wish to say is this, that if, money is required for the funeral charges, or — as I, of course, know such things are customary — to pay for prayers ior the dead man's soul, I " "Blaspheming leper !" I interrupted with vehement passion. "Thy gifts perish with thee ! Stand from my way ; let me pass." "Not, reverend and insolent Monsieur," as vehemently rejoined Vaiazy, " till you have answered a question I have, a right to ask. My offer was made in good faith, whatever may be my own opinion of the the value of such mummeries. The devil, a friend of mine and his assures me, is nothing like so black as your reverences delight to paint him, ergo, Etienne Vaiazy may not be without some sparks of generous feeling,al though — Well, I have to ask this question : Once, and lately, when, from motives of pure goodwill, I called upon Pierre Marcel, he, in the delirious fury which my presence, strangely enough, excited, made use of some expressions relative to Estelle, to Madame Louison, which I shall be glad if he has, when all possiblo motives on his part for mystification must have ceased, commissioned you to explain ?" : " Pierre, Marcel," I replied, ." gave me s no commission to explain or speak of any matter touching Madame Louison -op .any . one else/ . " Ha ! Then the secret, if there be one," ; said Vaiazy, intently regarding me as he ) spoke—" which, however, is little likely — i dies with him, for all practical purposes, • at least. It is well," he added, turning j away and, touching his , hat ; "it. is well. l Good evening, Monsjeur. Ronzard." .;■•;•*. - Another year passed away, during which

again failed in contracting a wealthy marriage ; but I had noticed bim several times amongst. the congregation when I preached. That he came with a view to edification, tbe saturnine sneer which never left bis gloomy pallid, singularly expressive countenance, forbade me to hope, and I concluded he was brought there by a morbid, restless impulse, akin to that which sometimes prompts great criminals to haunt the scene and dwell upon the associative objects, connected in their memory witb the , present crime. This, however, may have been fancy, as I could only have been very remotely associated in his mind with his supposedly murdered wife. After March, 0 , as nearly as I can recollect those attendances ceased, and I was told, no doubt by my friend the advocate, that Camille Louison's bodily health was thought to be seriously affected. Of Etienne Valt\zy I heard but little, and that little referring only to his always advancing prosperity and social status, which people said would soon be enhanced and confirmed by a fortunate J marriage. Few men enjoyed a higher reputation for sterling honesty and sound judgment amongst the world .of Ly oris than Etienne Vaiazy,, Ecuyer, of , Vaize. Wise world of Lyons ! Such were the positive and relative positions occupied, in my mind's eye, by Messrs. Louison and Vaiazy till yesterday's eventful evening, when,. at about six o'clock, a liveried servant drove up in a fashionable .cabriolet, to' the entrance of . tbe Presbytery of N.tre Dame, and requested to see tbe Rev. Monsieur Ronzard.. He brought me a verbal message from M. Louison, of 'the Place Bellecour, -where he, M. Louison, ---.was- anxiously r and "in extremis," awaiting my presence. In a few minutes I was being driven as rapidly as the steep streets of Fouvrieres permitted in the direction of that fashionable locality ; and just as we cleared the Pont de I'Archiyeche, we met Etienne Vaiazy, whose start of surprise at seeing me in Louison's cabriolet was very perceptible, swiftly as we passed him. The domestic who admitted me to the mansion in the Place Bellecour led the way to a gorgeously furnished chamber, and left me there alone with the sick man —not sick to deatb, I was at the first glance quite sure. Camille Louison's face was, it is true, ghastly pale, but it was the paleness of the compressed, wordless rage which flamed in his dark eyes — not that of mortality. He caught the thought which, as it were, flashed through me, my eye encountered his, and partially raising his head from the pillow of the couch on which he was lying, said, with bis usual diabolical sneer — " You are vexed, I perceive, Father Ronzard, that you have not been sent for by a dying penitent, soliciting of your aid in helping to cheat the devil at the last pinch. , It is a disappointment, but you will be consoled before you leave, take my word for it, if I -am favoured Avith your attention. Pray be seated, Monsieur ; ' I I have really a confession, and a very interesting one, to make." " It shall not be through any agency of mine, Monsieur Louison," I indignantly replied, " that you shall blaspheme the sacrament of penance ;" and I turned to leave the room. . " Let me beg of you to stay," exclaimed Louison, with eagerness, " and pray forgive my thoughtless expressions. I have, I repeat, a most important confession or revelation to confide to you, not, however, under the seal of clerical silence ; so that we shall have no need to make confidants of the Beate Virgine and the holy apostles Peter and Paul, which, if I remember rightly, is the usual My flippant tongue is offending again. Be pacified, reverend father, I will be good. Fearing," continued Louison, "that you might not come, or that if you did I might omit some important detail, I bave taken the precaution to sketch upon paper the outline of certain incidents of my amiable life that I wish to be accurately known.; Aud I now,"- be added, taking a small parcel from under a pillow and handing it to me; "place the precious deposit in your custody." " You will find," resumed Louison, with perceptible emotion, spite of his efforts to support an affectation of careless indifference, — "you will find that when I feigned to espouse Mademoiselle Vaiazy " " Feigned to espouse Mademoiselle Vaiazy?" "Yes; the phrase is 'good French, I think. When I feigned to espouse Mademoiselle Vaiazy, I was a married man.' Ha ! do you start back at such a trifle as that? Holy Saints, what will you say, then, when you know all ? To continue : I was, then, I say, a married man, my wife, nee Lucille Deschamps, being persistently alive ; though I may say, in mitigation, that I had long very sincerely wished her dead. This was known to that estimable person, Etienne Vaiazy, and gave him the power of compelling me to refund to him his soi-disaut daughter's dowry — some eighty thousand francs, as you know." " Grand Dieu!" You are amazed, and no wonder, at the fellow's disgusting avarice. Well, he had the money, and . Will you oblige me, Monsieur Ronzard, by drawing your chair a little nearer to tlie end of this couch ?" I complied with the seemingly odd request, and thereby, as I afterwards recalled to mind, brought my face out of the shadow of the window draperies into the full light of the setting sun. ' " I was saying," resumed Louison, "that Vaiazy has had the dowry. I the damsel, whom I afterwards tried to drown — -murder. But Estelle," he added with a burst, " Estelle ■ was not drowned ! You, as I have suspected, 3 7 ou know she was not. I care nothing for your silence," he presently added, witb wild exultation. " The information was communicated to you under ; the seal of confession." "The hope you evince that your felon purpose was not accomplished, argue*., I trust, contrition— --remorse " "Chut! — chut! Remorse is the curse of whimpering fools ; to which numerous i class I certainly do not belong. I am, I however, rejoiced by the certainty I now fee!, that Estelle lives ; chiefly, I must: tell you, because I thereby obtain the' means of vengeance upon that traitor and' villain, Vaiazy." "Traitor ahd 7 villain, Vaiazy," was echoed' closo • behind iiae. by thef'well-'

are not, remember, in the confessional)'?. "You mean," rejoined Louison, with, a bitter laugh, "that 1 have not said the Confiteor. It is true ; but that little ceremony omitted, I was getting on famously with the reverend father. For example, I have confessed to Monsieur Ronzard, that you Were enabled to chouse me out of nearly eighty thousand francs by your knowledge that when I went to cburch;with Estelle I had a wife still living." "Take care, ; Louison," interrupted Vaiazy, with hot, .swelling rage. MTake care, my friend! lam not, I repeat, patient j under injuries." ! "Which eighty., thousand francs, or thereabout-r-*-you have the precise. figured, Father Ronzard," rejoined Louison, with chuckling . enjoyment of . Valazy's dismay, " you will unquestionably have to refund ; Estelle, your pretended daughter, not being, ; as yet, really married ; and moreover, as we bave both for a long time past dubiously believed, still living." " Estelle !— Estelle still living ! . You lie!" ' :-... "Wellj not in this instance. Father Ronzard is my, informant" . "That, permit me to say— _ — " "Not by words!" interrupted Louison. MNotj by words, I admit; but by: your silence ! Nor dare you assert you do -not know that Estelle escaped with life from the dark river !" . " Into which she was thrown by Camille Louisos- ! If Estelle is really still living, she ?i:ay, when informed • that a ; certain Monsieur is not her husband, bring down upon him a somewhat heavier penalty,; than the reimbursement of seventy or eighty thousand franco" •>..*' r " That , is unquestionably true, ; though you say it," said Louison," continuing the terrible dialogue, by which, as it ■• proceeded, ' I felt ; every moment • more and more horror-stricken^ spell-bound in mute: dismay. " Your reasoning^ my dear Vaiazy, , is clear upon that' point ; and I assure you; that its foree — whicli, by-tbe-bye,; bad previously^ struck me — constitutes one, tbough hardly a principal motive- for the resolve I hinted at to j r 6u yesterday, I, should before loug probably arrive at." " Bah ! A prating * pekin' like Camille, Louison may talk of making his choice between poison and a pistol', but will never ; have the courage to use 'either." "You are complimentary, Vaiazy," returned Louison, ■ with unruffled calmness of tone, though the fire which' suddenly blazed in : his eyes revealed the volcanic fury kindled by Valazy's taunt, 1 "but hardly so just, permit me to say, as usual. It is positive that I am still in doubt which * viaticum' of tha two you have mentioned! I shall choose for myself; though— tut, tut, Father Ronzard, I did but jest, and," added the miserable mau, the compressed, torturing rage that consumed him forcing itself for one moment through the barriers of his iion will, and exploding, so to speak, as be shouted — screamed rather — "and I must jest or weep, or else go mad !" Before you might count ten, he was again self -mastered. " Listen, Camille Louison," said Vaiazy, breaking a silence of some duration. "I believe you to be too gross a coward to avail yburself of either 'viaticum,' as^ — " "Take care, Vaiazy," surged hoarsely through Louison's clenched teeth and ashen lips. "I retort the warning you just now gave me. Take dare: lain not patient of insult." "I repeat, yoii are too gross a coward. Bah !— grin and glare, if you will^At Monsieur Ronzard there. It may terrify him, though hardly an old African campaigner. However, passing that, I have frankly to say, that now calmly reviewing the situation as created by your vicious, and absurd as vicious, threat to aim at weakening the consideration I enjoy with my fellow-citizens, by publishing a charge against me of knowing you had a wife living when you married my daughter — a charge in itself monstrous — incredible !— I shall, immediately upon leaving this house, band over the felon Louison to justice, and— — " "Take care, Vaiazy," gasped Louison ; "I again warn you— take care !" " I shall take care of niiyself, be assured of tbat," retorted ValazyV. " Your;acciisations,'which Father ,Ron_ard," he ' added, turniug towards me,' with blinding ' audacity—" which Feather Ronzard kn o wis I instantly and indignantly : scouted; will recoil upon your own head, Gainille Louison, for who will believe the unsupported : assertion of a felon — of a manifest forger ? Ha! ha! that bites, friend Camille, does it,? As to the seventy or eighty thousand francs, it will not ruin me to refund them, should I have the happiness to find: that dear Estelle is really living, particularly as 1 a few hours since signed a marriage contract with wealthy Madame Billaut." " Madame Billaut!"

are not, remember, in the confessional)''. "You mean," rejoined Louison, with, a bitter laugh, "that 1 have not said the Confiteor. It is true ; but that little cere- ! mony omitted, I was getting on famously with the reverend father. For example, I have confessed to Monsieur Ronzard, that you Were enabled to chouse me out of nearly eighty thousand francs by your knowledge that when I went to cburch;with Estelle I had a wife still living." "Take care, ; Louison," interrupted Vaiazy, with hot, .swelling rage. MTake care, my friend! lam not, I repeat, patient under injuries." "Which eighty., thousand francs, or thereabout-r-*-you have the precise. figured, Father Ronzard," rejoined Louison, with chuckling . enjoyment of . Valazy's dismay, " you will unquestionably have to refund ; Estelle, your pretended daughter, not being, ; as yet, really married ; and moreover, as we bave both for a long time past dubiously believed, still living." " Estelle !— Estelle still living ! . You lie!" ' :-... "Well-, not in this instance. Father Ronzard is my, informant" . " That, permit me to say— _ — " "Not by words!" interrupted Louison. MNotj by words, I admit; but by: your silence ! Nor dare you assert you do -not know that Estelle escaped with life from the dark river !" . " Into which she was thrown by Camille Louisosi ! If Estelle is really still living, she ?i:ay, when informed • that a; certain Monsieur i. not her husband, bring down upon him a somewhat heavier penalty, than the reimbursement of seventy or eighty thousand franc-/' •>..*' r " That , is unquestionably true, ; though you say it," said Louison," continuing the terrible dialogue, by which, as it ■• proceeded, ' I felt ; every moment • more and more horror-stricken j spell-bound in mute: dismay. " Your reasoning^ my dear Vaiazy, , is clear upon that' point ; and I assure you; that its foree — whicli, by-the-bye,; had previously^ struck, me — constitutes one, tbough hardly a principal motive- for the resolve I .- hinted at to j r 6u yesterday, I J should before loug probably arrive at." ;! " Bah ! A prating * pekin' like Camille, Louison may talk of making his choice between poison and a pistol', but will never ; have the courage to use "either." "You are complimentary, Vaiazy," returned Louison, ■ with unruffled calmness of tone, though the fire which' suddenly blazed in : his eyes revealed the volcanic fury kindled by Valazy's taunt, 1 "but hardly so just, permit me to say, as usual.: It is positive that I am still in doubt which * viaticum' of tha two you have mentioned: I shall choose for myself; though— tut, tut, Father Ronzard, I did but jest, and," added the miserable mau, the compressed, torturing rage that consumed him forcing itself for one moment through the barriers of his iion will, and exploding, so to speak, as be shouted — screamed rather — "and I must jest or weep, or else go mad !" Before you might count ten, he was again self -mastered. " Listen, Camille Louison," said Vaiazy, breaking a silence of some duration. "I believe you to be too gross a coward to avail yburself of either 'viaticum,' as- — " "Take care, Vaiazy," surged hoarsely through Louison's clenched teeth and ashen lips. "I retort the warning you just now gave me. Take dare: lain not patient of insult." "I repeat, yoii are too gross a coward. Bah !— grin and glare, if you will^At Monsieur Roiizard there. It may terrify him, though hardly an old African campaigner. However, passing that, I have frankly to say, that now calmly reviewing the situation as created by your vicious, and absurd as vicious, threat to aim at weakening the consideration I enjoy with my fellow-citizens, by publishing a charge against me of knowing you had a wife living when you married my daughter — a charge in itself monstrous — incredible !— I shall, immediately upon leaving this house, band over the felon Louison to justice, and— — " "Take care, Vaiazy," gasped Louison ; "I again warn you— take care !" " I shall take care of niiyself, be assured of that," retorted Vaiazy-. " Your;accusations,'which Father Ron_ard," he ' added, turning towards me,' with blinding ' audacity—" which Feather Ronzard knowis I instantly and indignantly : scouted; will recoil upon your own head, Gainille Louison, for who will believe the unsupported : assertion of a felon — of a manifest forger ? Ha! ha! that bites, friend Camille, does it,? As to the seventy or eighty thousand francs, it will not ruin me to refund them, should I have the happiness to find: that dear Estelle is really living, particularly as 1 a few hours since signed a marriage contract with wealthy Madame Billaut." ! "Madame Billaut!" " Madame Billaut. And that, too, has, I perceive, a serpent tooth," continued Vaiazy, with exultant mockery, as he stood up and towered, as it were, above the prostrate form of L.uison., "Behold, then; how high above the range Of thy poisoned arrows! am placed ! Behold the contrast of our positions ! Thee I consign to infamy and the galleys — whilst against me, ' miserable caitiff, thou canst do nothing i) „' ■ ■ "Yes!" shouted Louison: — "yes, taunt- | ing dcvil — this !" as a ' pistol, snatched from beneath a pillow, gleamed in his hand, and, but that I caught it just in time, would have exploded. Almost at the instant several persons, -friends of Louison's entered the room, and Vaiazy, whom his narrow escape seemed to have somewhat cooled, went his way. ' not heard. " Traitor' and villain, Vaiazy ! I suspected that you, Monsieur Ronzard, had beei. summoned here to receive such charming confidences as that. Permit me', however, to suggest to your friend, Loui : son, that I* am not patient under injuries or insults; and that a hint from ' me to certain gentlemen who wear cocked hats would, as by a " touj.-de--theatre," change this 1 splendid chamber into a gloomy pri-. son cell." " You express yourself, my dear Vaiazy," replied Louison, Iwith marble coolness, " with all that force and precision .for which you cannot- be too much admired ; and that your threat has not anni-hilated:me-is only to b _ ! accounted f6r ! by theKfacft that it is a;n«fedlcss parapbra-ns of th'ehintyou ihreW-'out yesterday, when , you refused . to oblige me with' thts- tf i fling I loan ! o£ forty' thousand, -ranca/'TYduT&re;

.-gacity. to be aware, favorably placed, as you. bave been^to , see the hands with which I have so long played bragf that my discounts .afcj the bank are, with few exceptions, forgeries!: _Be_ides*4-— "o___ "Are you mad?" vehemently interrupted Vaiazy;; and, glancing at me, .you . " Baffled 1". I heard Louison mutter^— " onlyibaflled for athne-r- a brief time/ . Vaiazy remained in Lyons late that evening, and when he left f or honie was ~an almost incredible circumstance—.partially intoxicated. He inever reached ihis home. The next morning his body was found floating in the Rbdne. - He had been killed by a /pistol shot "(■> ' Louison diedT by his own act : oorn r the same ddy. i>.He' was fdund- waving .an empty phial in his hand, and wildly exulting in the destruction of Vaiazy and himself. I stood at the bedside of the fast sinking self-destroyer ; whether the murderer also of bis enemy, will never be, known on earth. .-->■,•■ December 30.- — Estelle has reappeared with; her child — another Estelle— and has taken possession of the , house at Vaize. She haa suffered much, but the future is bright before her. May its promise be fulfilled.