failed to do so。 For that reason the whole affair had been conducted
slyly。 Madame Vauthier had not attempted to give the writs to Monsieur
Bernard； she meant to have flung them into the room on entering behind
the sheriff's men； so to give the appearance of their being in the old
man's possession。
The proces…verbal of the seizure took an hour to write down； the
sheriff omitted nothing； and declared that the value of the property
seized was sufficient to pay the debt。 As soon as he and his men had
departed； Auguste took the writs and rushed to the hospital to find
his grandfather。 The sheriff having told him that Madame Vauthier was
now responsible； under heavy penalties； for the safety of the
property； he could leave the house without fear of robbery。
The idea of his grandfather being dragged to prison for debt drove the
poor lad； if not exactly crazy； at any rate as crazy as youth becomes
under one of those dangerous and fatal excitements in which all powers
ferment at once； and lead as often to evil actions as to heroic deeds。
When he reached the rue Basse…Saint…Pierre； the porter told him that
he did not know what had become of the father of the lady who had
arrived that afternoon； the orders of Monsieur Halpersohn were to
admit no one to see her for the next eight days； under pain of putting
her life in danger。
This answer brought Auguste's exasperation to a crisis。 He returned to
the boulevard du Mont…Parnasse； turning over in his mind the wildest
and most extravagant plans of action。 He reached home at half…past
eight o'clock； half famished； and so exhausted with hunger and
distress that he listened to Madame Vauthier when she asked him to
share her supper； which happened to be a mutton stew with potatoes。
The poor lad fell half dead upon a chair in that atrocious woman's
room。
Persuaded by the wheedling and honeyed words of the old vulture； he
replied to a few questions about Godefroid which she adroitly put to
him； letting her discover that it was really her other lodger who was
to pay his grandfather's debts the next day； and also that it was to
him they owed the improvement in their condition during the past week。
The widow listened to these confidences with a dubious air； plying
Auguste with several glasses of wine meantime。
About ten o'clock a cab stopped before the house； and Madame Vauthier
looking out exclaimed：
〃Oh！ it is Monsieur Godefroid。〃
Auguste at once took the key of his apartment and went up to meet the
protector of his family； but he found Godefroid's face and manner so
changed that he hesitated to address him until； generous lad that he
was； the thought of his grandfather's danger came over him and gave
him courage。
XVIII
WHO MONSIEUR BERNARD WAS
The cause of this change and of the sternness in Godefroid's face was
an event which had just taken place in the rue Chanoinesse。 When the
initiate arrived there he found Madame de la Chanterie and her friends
assembled in the salon awaiting dinner； and he instantly took Monsieur
Joseph apart to give him the four volumes on 〃The Spirit of Modern
Laws。〃 Monsieur Joseph took the voluminous manuscript to his room and
returned for dinner； then； after sharing in the conversation for part
of the evening； he went back to his room； intending to begin the
reading of the book that night。
Godefroid was much astonished when Manon came to him soon after
Monsieur Joseph's retirement and asked if he would at once go up and
speak to that gentleman。 He went up； conducted by Manon； and was
unable to pay any heed to the apartment （which he had never before
entered） so amazed was he by the agitated look and manner of a man who
was usually calm and placid。
〃Do you know；〃 asked Monsieur Joseph； once more a judge； 〃who the
author of this work is？〃
〃He is Monsieur Bernard；〃 said Godefroid； 〃I know him only under that
name。 I did not open the package。〃
〃True；〃 said Monsieur Joseph； as if to himself； 〃I broke the seals
myself。 You have not tried to find out anything about his
antecedents？〃
〃No； I only know that he made a love…match with the daughter of
General Tarlowski； that the daughter is named after the mother； Vanda；
the grandson is called Auguste； and I have seen a portrait of Monsieur
Bernard in the red robes of a president of the Royal Courts。〃
〃Here； read that；〃 said Monsieur Joseph； pointing to the titlepage of
the manuscript； written probably in Auguste's handwriting：
ON THE
SPIRIT OF MODERN LAWS
By M。 Bernard…Jean…Baptiste Macloud；
Baron Bourlac。
Formerly attorney…general to the Royal Court of Rouen。
Grand officer of the Legion of honor。
＇Aha！ Thought so。JB。＇
〃Ha！ the slayer of Madame's daughter！ of the Chevalier du Vissard！ the
man who condemned her to twenty years' imprisonment！〃 said Godefroid；
in a feeble voice。 His legs gave way under him； and he dropped into a
chair。 〃What a beginning！〃 he muttered。
〃This matter； my dear Godefroid；〃 resumed Monsieur Joseph； 〃concerns
us all。 You have done your part； leave the rest to us。 I beg you to
have no more to do with it； go and fetch the things you have left
behind you。 Don't say a word of all this。 Practise absolute
discretion。 Tell the Baron de Bourlac to address himself to me。 By
that time we shall have decided how to act under the circumstances。〃
Godefroid left him； took a cab； and went back as fast as he could to
the boulevard du Mont…Parnasse； filled with horror as he remembered
that indictment signed with Bourlac's name； the bloody drama ending on
the scaffold； and Madame de la Chanterie's imprisonment at Bicetre。 He
understood now the abandonment in which this former attorney…general；
another Fourquier…Tinville in the public mind； was ending his days；
and the true reasons for the concealment of his name。
〃May Monsieur Joseph avenge her terribly！〃 he thought。 As he uttered
the wish in his own mind； he saw Auguste。
〃What do you want of me？〃 he asked。
〃My good friend； such a dreadful misfortune has overtaken us that I am
almost mad。 Wretches have come here and seized all my mother's
property； and they are going to put my grandfather in prison。 But it
is not on account of those misfortunes that I come to implore you；〃
said the lad； with Roman pride； 〃it is to ask you to do me a service
such as people do to those who are condemned to die。〃
〃Go on； what is it？〃 said Godefroid。
〃They came here to seize my grandfather's manuscript； and as I think
he gave you the book itself I want you to take the notes； for Madame
Vauthier will not let me carry anything out of the house。 Put them
with the volumes and〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Godefroid； 〃go and get them at once。〃
While the lad went back to his own rooms； returning immediately；
Godefroid reflected that the poor child was guilty of no crime； and
that he ought not to put despair into that young heart by speaking of
his grandfather and of the punishment for his savage political actions
that had overtaken his old age。 He therefore took the little package
with a good grace。
〃What is your mother's name？〃 he asked。
〃My mother is the Baronne de Mergi； my father was the son of the
president of the Royal Court at Rouen。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Godefroid； 〃then your grandfather married his daughter to
the son of the famous president Mergi。〃
〃Yes； monsieur。〃
〃Now； my little friend； leave me；〃 said Godefroid。 He went with young
Mergi to the landing； and called to Madame Vauthier。
〃Mere Vauthier；〃 he said； 〃you can let my rooms。 I shall not come back
any more。〃
He gathered his things together； went downstairs； and got into the
cab。
〃Have you given anything to that gentleman？〃 said the Vauthier to
Auguste。
〃Yes；〃 said the young man。
〃You're a pretty fellow！ that's the agent of your grandfather's
enemies。 He managed this whole business； and the proof is that； now
that the trick is played； he goes off and isn't coming back any more。
He has just told me I can let his lodgings。〃
Auguste flew to the boulevard and ran after the cab shouting so loudly
that he finally stopped it。
〃What do you want？〃 asked Godefroid。
〃My grandfather's manuscripts。〃
〃Tell them he can get them from Monsieur Joseph。〃
The youth thought the words were intended as a cruel joke。 He sat down
in the snow as he saw the cab disappearing rapidly。 Presently he
sprang up with momentary vigor； returned to his room and went to bed
worn out with fatigue and distress。
The next morning； when the poor boy woke alone in that apartment so
lately occupied by his mother and grandfather； the painful emotions of
his cruel position filled his mind。 The solitude of his home； where up
to this time every moment had had its duty and its occupation； seemed
so hard to bear that he went down to Madame Vauthier to ask if she had
received any news of his grandfather。 The woman answered sneeringly
that he knew very well； or he might know； where to find his
grandfather； the reason why he had not come in； she said； was because
he had gone to live at the chateau de Clichy。 This malicious speech；
from the woman who had coaxed and wheedled him the evening before； put
the lad into another frenzy； and he rushed to the hospital once more；
desperate with the idea that his grandfather was in prison。
Baron Bourlac had wandered all night round the hospital； where he was
refused entrance； and round the private residence of Dr。 Halpersohn
from whom he wished； naturally； to obtain an explanation of such
treatment。 The doctor did not get home till two in the morning。 At
half…past one the old man was at his door； on being told he was
absent； he turned and walked about the grand alley of the Champs
Elysees until half…past two。 When he again went to the house； the
porter told him that Monsieur Halpersohn had returned； gone to bed；
was asleep； and could not be disturbed。
The poor father； in despair； wandered along the quay and under the
frost…laden trees of the Cours…la…reine； waiting for daylight。 At nine
o'clock in the morning he again presented himself at the doctor's
house； demanding to know the reason why his daughter was thus
virtually imprisoned。
〃Monsieur；〃 replied the doctor； to whose presence he was admitted；
〃yesterday I