“Silence!” replied Paul, “they are announcing your mother.” “Yes, silence, and to-morrow we meet again. Lectoure,” added Emanuel, “let us go to receive my mother.” Paul looked silently at the young men as they retired, and then he entered the small room in which he had before been concealed. CHAPTER XIII.--THE CONTRACT. Listen to me and heed me! If this contract Thou holdst me to, abide thou the result! Answer to heaven for what I suffer! act! Prepare thyself for such calamity To fall on me, and those whose evil Have linked them with me, as no past mishap, However rare and marvellously Sad, Can parallel. Knowles--The Hunchback. At the moment that Paul went into the study, the marchioness appeared at the door of the drawing-room, followed by the notary, and the several persons who had been invited to be present at the signing of the contract. Notwithstanding the nature of the meeting, the marchioness had not considered it proper to lay aside, even for one evening, her mourning garments, and dressed in complete black, as she had been always during twenty years, she came into the room a few moments before the marquis. None of the persons present, not even his son, had seen the marquis for many years. Such attention was in those days paid to ancient forms, that the marchioness would not allow the marriage contract of her daughter to be signed, without the head of the family, although deprived of reason, being present; at the ceremony. However little accustomed Lectoure was to feel intimidated, the marchioness produced upon him the effect which she did on every one that approached her, and on seeing her enter the room with so grave and dignified an aspect, he bowed to her with a feeling of profound respect. “I am grateful to you, gentlemen,” said the marchioness, bowing to the persons who accompanied her, “for the honor you have been pleased to confer upon me, by being present at the betrothal of Mademoiselle Marguerite d’Auray, with the Baron de Lectoure. I, in consequence, was desirous that the marquis, although suffering from illness, should also be present at this meeting, to thank you at least by his presence, if he cannot do so verbally. You are all aware of his unfortunate malady, and you will, therefore, not be astonished, should some disjointed words--” “Yes, madam,” said Lectoure, interrupting her, “we know the misfortune which has befallen him, and we admire the devoted wife, who for twenty years has borne half the weight of this sad visitation.” “You see, madam,” said Emanuel, addressing in his turn, and kissing the hand of his mother, “all the world bows down in admiration of your conjugal piety.” “Where is Marguerite?” murmured the marchioness, in a hair whisper. “She was here not a moment ago,” said Emanuel. “Let her know that we are all assembled,” rejoined the marchioness, in the same tone.