Here Bélisaire attempted to speak. “Be quiet, fellow!” said the superintendent; “I cannot understand how you can have the audacity to speak. We believe you to be in reality the guilty party, and that this child has simply been your tool.” Jack wished to protest against this condemnation of his friend; but old Rondic gave him no time. “You are quite right, sir, it is bad company that has led the lad astray. Everybody loved him in my house; we had every confidence in him until he met this miserable wretch.” Bélisaire looked so heart-broken at this wholesale condemnation that Jack rushed boldly forward in his defence. “I assure you, sir, that I met Bélisaire late in the day.” “Do you mean,” said the superintendent, “that you committed this robbery all alone?” “I have done no wrong, sir.” “Take care, my lad—you are going down hill with rapidity. Your guilt is very evident, and it is useless to deny it. You were alone with the Rondic women in their house all night. Zénaïde showed you the casket, and even showed you where it was kept. In the night she heard some one moving in your attic; she spoke; naturally you made no reply. She knew that it must be you, for there was no one else in the house. Then you must remember that we know how much money you threw away yesterday.” Jack was about to say, “My mother sent it to me,” when he remembered that she had forbidden him to mention this. So he hesitatingly murmured that he had been saving his money for some time. “What nonsense!” cried the Director. “Do you think you can make us believe that with your small wages you could have laid aside the amount you squandered yesterday? Tell the truth, my lad, and repair the evil you have done as well as possible.” Then Father Rondic spoke. “Tell us, my boy, where this money is. Remember that it is Zénaïde’s dowry, that I have toiled day and night to lay it aside for her, feeling that with it I might make her happy. You did not think of all this, I am sure, and were led away by the temptation of the moment. But now that you have had time to reflect, you will tell us the truth. Remember, Jack, that I am old, that time may not be given me to replace this money. Ah, my good lad, speak!” The poor man’s lips trembled. It must have been a hardened criminal who could have resisted such a touching appeal. Bélisaire was so moved that he made a series of the most extraordinary gestures. “Give him the money, Jack, I beg of you!” he whispered. Alas! if the child had had the money, how gladly he would have placed it in the hands of old Rondic, but he could only say,— “I have stolen nothing—I swear I have not!” The superintendent rose from his chair impatiently. “We have had enough of this. Your heart must be of adamant to resist such an appeal as has been made to you. I shall send you up-stairs again, and give you until to-night to reflect. If you do not then make a full confession, I shall hand you over to the proper tribunal.”