650 FRENCH CONVULSIVE*. 



felt that it only required address to deceive both these women at the same 

 time. ' Madame,' said he, falling on his knees before Indiana, ' my pre- 

 sence here must appear to you an outrage ; behold me at your feet to implore 

 your pardon. Grant me a moment's hearing alone, and I will explain' 

 ' Hold, Sir, and begone from here!' cried Madame Delmare, resuming all the 

 dignity of her part. ' Leave this openly. Noun, open that door, and let this 

 gentleman go forth, that all my servants may see him, and that the shame of 

 such a proceeding may fall upon him alone.' Noun believing herself de- 

 tected, threw herself on her knees beside Raymon. Madame Delmare gazed 

 at her with surprise, without uttering a word. Raymon tried to take her 

 hand, but she withdrew it with indignation. Flushed with anger, she rose, 

 and pointing to the door, 



" ' Begone ! I tell you,' cried she, ' begone ! for your conduct is infamous. 

 These are the means which you have chosen to employ. You, Sir, concealed 

 in my chamber, like a robber ! So, then, it is customary with you to intro- 

 duce yourself thus into families! This is the attachment you swore to me 

 yesterday evening! It is thus you would protect me, respect me, defend me ; 

 this is the homage you render me ! You see a woman who has assisted you 

 with her own hands, who for this lias braved the anger of her husband ; you 

 abuse her by a feigned gratitude ; you swear to her a love worthy of her ; 

 end in recompence for her cares, for her credulity, you would surprise her 

 sleep, and insure your success by an indescribable baseness. You bribe her 

 maid ; you almost steal to her bed ; you do not fear to make her servants 

 privy to an intimacy which does not exist. Go, Sir ! you have taken care to 

 disabuse me very soon. Go ! I tell you : stay not a moment under my roof. 

 And you, abject girl, who have so little respect for the honour of your mis- 

 tress, leave my sight !' Noun, half dead with surprise and despair, had her 

 eyes fixed upon Raymon, as if to ask an explanation of this unexpected 

 mystery ; then, with a haggard air and choked utterance, she staggered to- 

 wards Indiana, and, grasping her arm with energy, 



" ' What have you said ?' cried she ; ' her teeth set with anger ' did this 

 man declare himself your lover ?' 



" ' Oh, doubtless you know he did,' said Madame Delmare, repelling her 

 with disdain ; ' you know full well what must be the motives of a man who 

 conceals himself behind the curtains of a woman's bed. Ah, Noun !' said 

 she, as she witnessed the despair of the girl, ' it was an unheard-of perfidy, 

 and one of which I did not think you capable. You would have sold the 

 honour of her who had taken such care of thee !' Madame Delmare wept, 

 but as well from passion as from grief. Never had she appeared so beautiful 

 to Raymon ; but he scarce dared to look upon her, for she was almost naked; 

 and her outraged pride compelled him to cast down his eyes. He stood 

 rivetted to the spot with consternation at the presence of Noun for, alone 

 with Madame Delmare, he felt he possessed the power of soothing her. But 

 the expression of Noun was terrible : rage and hatred had discomposed her 

 features." 



But the arrival of Sir Ralph Brown compels our hero to make a 

 precipitate retreat by the private door of the garden, to which he is 

 conducted by the wretched Noun. She spoke not, but abruptly dis- 

 appeared ; and, the next morning, as Madame Delmare walked forth 

 by the bank of the stream that fed the mill of her husband's factory, 

 she was horror-struck at beholding the body of her beloved Noun 

 floating on the surface. She had drowned herself in one of those 

 moments of a violent crisis when extreme resolutions are so easy of 

 accomplishment. Her death was attributed to accident by every one 



