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very day to send to the Government。 Marion carried the letter to
Basine； taking some of Lucien's linen to the laundry as a pretext for
the errand。
Petit…Claud had told Cerizet that a letter would in all probability be
sent。 Cerizet called for Mlle。 Signol； and the two walked by the
Charente。 Henriette's integrity must have held out for a long while；
for the walk lasted for two hours。 A whole future of happiness and
ease and the interests of a child were at stake； and Cerizet asked a
mere trifle of her。 He was very careful besides to say nothing of the
consequences of that trifle。 She was only to carry a letter and a
message； that was all； but it was the greatness of the reward for the
trifling service that frightened Henriette。 Nevertheless； Cerizet
gained her consent at last； she would help him in his stratagem。
At five o'clock Henriette must go out and come in again； telling
Basine Clerget that Mme。 Sechard wanted to speak to her at once。
Fifteen minutes after Basine's departure she must go upstairs； knock
at the door of the inner room； and give David the forged note。 That
was all。 Cerizet looked to chance to manage the rest。
For the first time in twelve months； Eve felt the iron grasp of
necessity relax a little。 She began at last to hope。 She； too； would
enjoy her brother's visit； she would show herself abroad on the arm of
a man feted in his native town； adored by the women； beloved by the
proud Comtesse du Chatelet。 She dressed herself prettily； and proposed
to walk out after dinner with her brother to Beaulieu。 In September
all Angouleme comes out at that hour to breathe the fresh air。
〃Oh！ that is the beautiful Mme。 Sechard；〃 voices said here and there。
〃I should never have believed it of her；〃 said a woman。
〃The husband is in hiding； and the wife walks abroad；〃 said Mme。
Postel for young Mme。 Sechard's benefit。
〃Oh； let us go home；〃 said poor Eve； 〃I have made a mistake。〃
A few minutes before sunset； the sound of a crowd rose from the steps
that lead down to L'Houmeau。 Apparently some crime had been committed；
for persons coming from L'Houmeau were talking among themselves。
Curiosity drew Lucien and Eve towards the steps。
〃A thief has just been arrested no doubt； the man looks as pale as
death；〃 one of these passers…by said to the brother and sister。 The
crowd grew larger。
Lucien and Eve watched a group of some thirty children； old women and
men； returning from work； clustering about the gendarmes； whose gold…
laced caps gleamed above the heads of the rest。 About a hundred
persons followed the procession； the crowd gathering like a storm
cloud。
〃Oh！ it is my husband！〃 Eve cried out。
〃DAVID！〃 exclaimed Lucien。
〃It is his wife；〃 said voices； and the crowd made way。
〃What made you come out？〃 asked Lucien。
〃Your letter；〃 said David； haggard and white。
〃I knew it！〃 said Eve； and she fainted away。 Lucien raised his sister；
and with the help of two strangers he carried her home； Marion laid
her in bed； and Kolb rushed off for a doctor。 Eve was still insensible
when the doctor arrived； and Lucien was obliged to confess to his
mother that he was the cause of David's arrest； for he； of course；
knew nothing of the forged letter and Cerizet's stratagem。 Then he
went up to his room and locked himself in； struck dumb by the
malediction in his mother's eyes。
In the dead of night he wrote one more letter amid constant
interruptions； the reader can divine the agony of the writer's mind
from those phrases； jerked out； as it were； one by one：
〃MY BELOVED SISTER；We have seen each other for the last time。 My
resolution is final； and for this reason。 In many families there
is one unlucky member； a kind of disease in their midst。 I am that
unlucky one in our family。 The observation is not mine； it was
made at a friendly supper one evening at the Rocher de Cancale by
a diplomate who has seen a great deal of the world。 While we
laughed and joked； he explained the reason why some young lady or
some other remained unmarried； to the astonishment of the world
it was 'a touch of her father；' he said； and with that he unfolded
his theory of inherited weaknesses。 He told us how such and such a
family would have flourished but for the mother； how it was that a
son had ruined his father； or a father had stripped his children
of prospects and respectability。 It was said laughingly； but we
thought of so many cases in point in ten minutes that I was struck
with the theory。 The amount of truth in it furnished all sorts of
wild paradoxes； which journalists maintain cleverly enough for
their own amusement when there is nobody else at hand to mystify。
I bring bad luck to our family。 My heart is full of love for you；
yet I behave like an enemy。 The blow dealt unintentionally is the
cruelest blow of all。 While I was leading a bohemian life in
Paris； a life made up of pleasure and misery； taking good
fellowship for friendship； forsaking my true friends for those who
wished to exploit me； and succeeded； forgetful of you； or
remembering you only to cause you trouble；all that while you
were walking in the humble path of hard work； making your way
slowly but surely to the fortune which I tried so madly to snatch。
While you grew better； I grew worse； a fatal element entered into
my life through my own choice。 Yes； unbounded ambition makes an
obscure existence simply impossible for me。 I have tastes and
remembrances of past pleasures that poison the enjoyments within
my reach； once I should have been satisfied with them； now it is
too late。 Oh； dear Eve； no one can think more hardly of me than I
do myself； my condemnation is absolute and pitiless。 The struggle
in Paris demands steady effort； my will power is spasmodic； my
brain works intermittently。 The future is so appalling that I do
not care to face it； and the present is intolerable。
〃I wanted to see you again。 I should have done better to stay in
exile all my days。 But exile without means of subsistence would be
madness； I will not add another folly to the rest。 Death is better
than a maimed life； I cannot think of myself in any position in
which my overweening vanity would not lead me into folly。
〃Some human beings are like the figure 0； another must be put
before it； and they acquire ten times their value。 I am nothing
unless a strong inexorable will is wedded to mine。 Mme。 de
Bargeton was in truth my wife； when I refused to leave Coralie for
her I spoiled my life。 You and David might have been excellent
pilots for me； but you are not strong enough to tame my weakness；
which in some sort eludes control。 I like an easy life； a life
without cares； to clear an obstacle out of my way I can descend to
baseness that sticks at nothing。 I was born a prince。 I have more
than the requisite intellectual dexterity for success； but only by
moments； and the prizes of a career so crowded by ambitious
competitors are to those who expend no more than the necessary
strength； and retain a sufficient reserve when they reach the
goal。
〃I shall do harm again with the be