It was done: Gilberte Favoral had just irrevocably disposed ofherself. Prosperous or wretched, her destiny henceforth was linkedwith another. She had set the wheel in motion; and she could nolonger hope to control its direction, any more than the will canpretend to alter the course of the ivory ball upon the surface ofthe roulette-table. At the outset of this great storm of passionwhich had suddenly surrounded her, she felt an immense surprise,mingled with unexplained apprehensions and vague terrors.

Around her, apparently, nothing was changed. Father, mother,brother, friends, gravitated mechanically in their accustomed orbits.

The same daily facts repeated themselves monotonous and regular asthe tick-tack of the clock.

And yet an event had occurred more prodigious for her than the movingof a mountain.

Often during the weeks that followed, she would repeat to herself,"Is it true, is it possible even?"Or else she would run to a mirror to make sure once more that nothingupon her face or in her eyes betrayed the secret that palpitatedwithin her.

The singularity of the situation was, moreover, well calculated totrouble and confound her mind.

Mastered by circumstances, she had in utter disregard of all acceptedideas, and of the commonest propriety, listened to the passionatepromises of a stranger, and pledged her life to him. And, the pactconcluded and solemnly sworn, they had parted without knowing whenpropitious circumstances might bring them together again.

"Certainly," thought she, "before God, M. de Tregars is my betrothedhusband; and yet we have never exchanged a word. Were we to meet insociety, we should be compelled to meet as strangers: if he passes byme in the street, he has no right to bow to me. I know not where heis, what becomes of him, nor what he is doing.

And in fact she had not seen him again: he had given no sign of life,so faithfully did he conform to her expressed wish. And perhapssecretly, and without acknowledging it to herself, had she wished himless scrupulous. Perhaps she would not have been very angry to seehim sometimes gliding along at her passage under the old Arcades ofthe Rue des Vosges.

But, whilst suffering from this separation, she conceived for thecharacter of Marius the highest esteem; for she felt sure that hemust suffer as much and more than she from the restraint which heimposed upon himself.

Thus he was ever present to her thoughts. She never tired ofturning over in her mind all he had said of his past life: shetried to remember his words, and the very tone of his voice.

And by living constantly thus with the memory of Marius de Tregars,she made herself familiar with him, deceived to that extent, bythe illusion of absence, that she actually persuaded herself thatshe knew him better and better every day.

Already nearly a month had elapsed, when one afternoon, as shearrived on the Place Royal; she recognized him, standing near thatsame bench where they had so strangely exchanged their pledges.

He saw her coming too: she knew it by his looks. But, when shehad arrived within a few steps of him, he walked off rapidly,leaving on the bench a folded newspaper.

Mme. Favoral wished to call him back and return it; but Mlle.

Gilberte persuaded her not to.

"Never mind, mother," said she, "it isn't worth while; and, besides,the gentleman is too far now."But while getting out her embroidery, with that dexterity which neverfails even the most naive girls, she slipped the newspaper in herwork-basket.

Was she not certain that it had been left there for her?

As soon as she had returned home, she locked herself up in her ownroom, and, after searching for some time through the columns, sheread at last:

"One of the richest and most intelligent manufacturers in Paris,M. Marcolet, has just purchased in Grenelle the vast groundsbelonging to the Lacoche estate. He proposes to build upon thema manufacture of chemical products, the management of which is tobe placed in the hands of M. de T--.

"Although still quite young, M. de T-- is already well known inconnection with his remarkable studies on electricity. He was,perhaps, on the eve of solving the much controverted problem ofelectricity as a motive-power, when his father's ruin compelled himto suspend his labors. He now seeks to earn by his personal industrythe means of prosecuting his costly experiments.

"He is not the first to tread this path. Is it not to the inventionof the machine bearing his name, that the engineer Giffard owes thefortune which enables him to continue to seek the means of steeringballoons? Why should not M. de T--, who has as much skill and energy,have as much luck?""Ah! he does not forget me," thought Mlle. Gilberte, moved to tearsby this article, which, after all, was but a mere puff, written byMarcolet himself, without the knowledge of M. de Tregars.

She was still under that impression, thinking that Marius was alreadyat work, when her father announced to her that he had discovered ahusband, and enjoined her to find him to her liking, as he, themaster, thought it proper that she should.

Hence the energy of her refusal.

But hence also, the imprudent vivacity which had enlightened Mlle.

Favoral, and which made her say:

"You hide something from me, Gilberte?"Never had the young girl been so cruelly embarrassed as she was atthis moment by this sudden and unforeseen perspicacity.

Would she confide to her mother?

She felt, indeed, no repugnance to do so, certain as she was, inadvance, of the inexhaustible indulgence of the poor woman; and,besides, she would have been delighted to have some one at lastwith whom she could speak of Marius.

But she knew that her father was not the man to give up a projectconceived by himself. She knew that he would return to the chargeobstinately, without peace, and without truce. Now, as she wasdetermined to resist with a no less implacable obstinacy, sheforesaw terrible struggles, all sorts of violence and persecutions.

Informed of the truth, would Mme. Favoral have strength enough toresist these daily storms? Would not a time come, when, called uponby her husband to explain the refusals of her daughter, threatened,terrified, she would confess all?

At one glance Mlle. Gilberte estimated the danger; and, drawing fromnecessity an audacity which was very foreign to her nature:

"You are mistaken, dear mother," said she, "I have concealed nothingfrom you."Not quite convinced; Mlle. Favoral shook her head.

"Then," said she, "you will yield.""Never!""Then there must be some reason you do not tell me.""None, except that I do not wish to leave you. Have you everthought what would be your existence if I were no longer here? Haveyou ever asked yourself what would become of you, between my father,whose despotism will grow heavier with age, and my brother?"Always prompt to defend her son:

"Maxence is not bad," she interrupted: "he will know how tocompensate me for the sorrows he has inflicted upon me."The young girl made a gesture of doubt:

"I wish it, dear mother," said she, "with all my heart; but I darenot hope for it. His repentance to-night was great and sincere; butwill he remember it to-morrow? Besides, don't you know that fatherhas fully resolved to separate himself from Maxence? Think ofyourself alone here with father."Mlle. Favoral shuddered at the mere idea.

"I would not suffer very long," she murmured. Mlle. Gilbertekissed her.

"It is because I wish you to live to be happy that I refuse tomarry," she exclaimed. "Must you not have your share of happinessin this world? Let me manage. Who knows what compensations thefuture may have in store for you? Besides, this person whom fatherhas selected for me does not suit me. A stock-jobber, who wouldthink of nothing but money, - who would examine my house-accountsas papa does yours, or else who would load me with cashmeres anddiamonds, like Mlle. de Thaller, to make of me a sign for his shop?

No, no! I want no such man. So, mother dear, be brave, take sidesboldly with your daughter, and we shall soon be rid of this would-behusband.""Your father will bring him to you: he said he would.""Well, he is a man of courage, if he returns three times."At this moment the parlor-door opened suddenly.

"What are you plotting here again?" cried the irritated voice ofthe master. "And you, Mme. Favoral, why don't you go to bed?"The poor slave obeyed, without saying a word. And, whilst makingher way to her room:

"There is trouble ahead," thought Mlle. Gilberte. "But bash! If Ido have to suffer some, it won't be great harm, after all. SurelyMarius does not complain, though he gives up for me his dearesthopes, becomes the salaried employe of M. Marcolet, and thinks ofnothing but making money, - he so proud and so disinterested!

Mlle. Gilberte's anticipations were but too soon realized. When M.

Favoral made his appearance the next morning, he had the sombre browand contracted lips of a man who has spent the night ruminating aplan from which he does not mean to swerve.

Instead of going to his office, as usual, without saying a word toany one, he called his wife and children to the parlor; and, afterhaving carefully bolted all the doors, he turned to Maxence.

"I want you," he commenced, "to give me a list of your creditors.

See that you forget none; and let it be ready as soon as possible."But Maxence was no longer the same man. After the terrible andwell-deserved reproaches of his sister, a salutary revolution hadtaken place in him. During the preceding night, he had reflectedover his conduct for the past four years; and he had been dismayedand terrified. His impression was like that of the drunkard, who,having become sober, remembers the ridiculous or degrading actswhich he has committed 'under the influence of alcohol, and, confusedand humiliated, swears never more to drink.

Thus Maxence had sworn to himself to change his mode of life,promising that it would be no drunkard's oath, either. And hisattitude and his looks showed the pride of great resolutions.

Instead of lowering his eyes before the irritated glance of M.

Favoral, and stammering excuses and vague promises:

"It is useless, father," he replied, "to give you the list you askfor. I am old enough to bear the responsibility of my acts. Ishall repair my follies: what I owe, I shall pay. This very day Ishall see my creditors, and make arrangements with them.

"Very well, Maxence," exclaimed Mlle. Favoral, delighted.

But there was no pacifying the cashier of the Mutual Credit.

"Those are fine-sounding words," he said with a sneer; "but I doubtif the tailors and the shirt-makers will take them in payment.

That's why I want that list.""Still - ""It's I who shall pay. I do not mean to have another such sceneas that of yesterday in my office. It must not be said that myson is a sharper and a cheat at the very moment when I find for mydaughter a most unhoped-for match."And, turning to Mlle. Gilberte:

"For I suppose you have got over your foolish ideas," he uttered.

The young girl shook her head.

"My ideas are the same as they were last night.""Ah, ah!""And so, father, I beg of you, do not insist. Why wrangle andquarrel? You must know me well enough to know, that, whatever mayhappen, I shall never yield."Indeed, M. Favoral was well aware of his daughter's firmness; forhe had already been compelled on several occasions, as he expressedit himself, "to strike his flag" before her. But he could notbelieve that she would resist when he took certain means ofenforcing his will.

"I have pledged my word," he said.

"But I have not pledged mine, father."He was becoming excited: his cheeks were flushed; and his littleeyes sparkled.

"And suppose I were to tell you," he resumed, doing at least to hisdaughter the honor of controlling his anger:" suppose I were totell you that I would derive from this marriage immense, positive,and immediate advantages?""Oh!" she interrupted with a look of disgust, "oh, for mercy's sake!""Suppose I were to tell you that I have a powerful interest in it;that it is indispensable to the success of vast combinations?"Mlle. Gilberte looked straight at him.

"I would answer you," she exclaimed, "that it does not suit me tobe made use of as an earnest to your combinations. Ah! it's anoperation, is it? an enterprise, a big speculation? and you throwin your daughter in the bargain as a bonus. Well, no! You cantell your partner that the thing has fallen through."M. Favoral's anger was growing with each word.

"I'll see if I can't make you yield," he said.

"You may crush me, perhaps. Make me yield, never!""Well, we shall see. You will see - Maxence and you - whether thereare no means by which a father can compel his rebellious children tosubmit to his authority."And, feeling that he was no longer master of himself, he left,swearing loud enough to shake the plaster from the stair-walls.

Maxence shook with indignation.

"Never," he uttered, "never until now, had I understood the infamyof my conduct. With a father such as ours, Gilber............