As he was slowly and wearily wending his way homeward, he suddenly encountered M. Dantes and his friend Lamartine in the Rue Richelieu; his gun was on his shoulder, and in his tattered attire, with the dust and powder on his face and hands, he had the exact appearance of an insurrectionist and a barricader. He touched his hat in military fashion to M. Dantes and his illustrious companion, and was about passing on when his father recognized him and, ragged and begrimed as he was, threw his arms enthusiastically about his neck. M. Lamartine watched the Deputy from Marseilles and could not restrain an expression of astonishment at his singular behavior. M. Dantes smiled and, taking Esperance by the hand, said: "M. Lamartine, you will, I know, make every allowance for me when you learn that this young man, who has been fighting behind the barricades with the people, is my son!" The head of the Provisional Government instantly grew as enthusiastic as M. Dantes himself; he grasped Esperance's free hand and, shaking it with the utmost cordiality, exclaimed: "Your son, M. Dantes! Let me congratulate you! Why he is a perfect hero!" "I have but followed my father's teachings and done what he would have done had he been my age and unable to serve the great cause of human freedom in a more effective way!" M. Dantes' eyes sparkled with joy and a faint shade of color appeared upon his pale cheeks. "What is your name, young patriot?" asked M. Lamartine, his excitement and enthusiasm continuing to hold possession of him. "Esperance," was the reply. "Esperance--hope--the name is both appropriate and auspicious; with such heroic young men as you fighting for our cause there is, indeed, hope, and of the brightest and best kind!" cried Lamartine. "Nay, nay," said M. Dantes, "do not flatter the boy; he has but done his duty." "Believe me, I do not flatter him," returned Lamartine; "I have simply told him the truth; in time he will rival the devotion and achievements of his noble father!" "Enough, enough," said the Deputy, modestly; "we deserve only the credit of executing God's will--we are merely instruments in His omnipotent hand!" he added, impressively. "And such instruments are exactly what we need in the present crisis. God grant us plenty of them!" The next morning Zuleika encountered Esperance on the stairway; she led him into the salon, and, when they were seated, said: "My brother, I have a question to ask of you." A shadow crossed the young man's brow, and he quickly asked: "Is it about the Viscount Massetti?" "Yes." "Then I must refuse to answer!" "But the matter concerns my happiness, nay, my very life itself; think of that before you finally refuse to answer my question!" Esperance hastily and excitedly arose from his chair and stood in front of his sister. "Zuleika," said he, in an agitated tone, "beware of that man--beware of Giovanni Massetti!" "Beware of Giovanni, Esperance--and why?"