benumbed by his coolness. "Then how do you know it?" she murmured. "I did not know it until I went into the drawing-room; now I know it --now I see and know all things, and can do all things." The sergeant was overcome with amazement. "Very well then, save him, save him, dear!" cried the girl, flinging herself at Castanier's feet. "If nothing is impossible to you, save him! I will love you, I will adore you, I will be your slave and not your mistress. I will obey your wildest whims; you shall do as you will with me. Yes, yes, I will give you more than love; you shall have a daughter's devotion as well as . . . Rodolphe! why will you not understand! After all, however violent my passions may be, I shall be yours for ever! What should I say to persuade you? I will invent pleasures . . . I . . . Great heavens! one moment! whatever you shall ask of me--to fling myself from the window for instance--you will need to say but one word, 'Leon!' and I will plunge down into hell. I would bear any torture, any pain of body or soul, anything you might inflict upon me!" Castanier heard her with indifference. For an answer, he indicated Leon to her with a fiendish laugh. "The guillotine is waiting for him," he repeated. "No, no, no! He shall not leave this house. I will save him!" she cried. "Yes; I will kill any one who lays a finger upon him! Why will you not save him?" she shrieked aloud; her eyes were blazing, her hair unbound. "Can you save him?" "I can do everything." "Why do you not save him?" "Why?" shouted Castanier, and his voice made the ceiling ring.--"Eh! it is my revenge! Doing evil is my trade!" "Die?" said Aquilina; "must he die, my lover? Is it possible?" She sprang up and snatched a stiletto from a basket that stood on the chest of drawers and went to Castanier, who now began to laugh. "You know very well that steel cannot hurt me now----" Aquilina's arm suddenly dropped like a snapped harp string. "Out with you, my good friend," said the cashier, turning to the sergeant, "and go about your business."