"I thought her dead; and what you are still ignorant of," added Rudolph, with bitterness, "is that this woman, as selfish as ambitious, loving me only as a prince, had, in my younger days, contrived to lead me into a marriage, which was afterward dissolved. Wishing then to marry again, the countess has caused all the misfortunes of her child by abandoning her to mercenary hands." "Ah! now I understand the aversion that your highness had for her." "You comprehend also why she wished to ruin you by infamous anonymous communications! Always impelled by her implacable ambition, she thought to force me to return to her by isolating me from all endearments." "Oh! what a wicked intention!" "And she is not dead!" "This regret is not worthy of your highness." "It is because you are not aware of all the injury she has caused! At this time, when, on finding my daughter again, I was about to give her a mother worthy of her--oh! no, no--this woman is a demon of vengeance in my path!" "Come, your highness, take courage!" said Clémence, wiping away the tears, which fell in spite of her: "you have a great and holy duty to fulfill. You said yourself, that henceforth the fate of your daughter should be as happy as it had been miserable; that she should be as elevated as she had been abased. For that you must legitimatize her birth; for that, your highness, you must espouse the Countess M'Gregor." "Never--never! It would be to reward perjury, selfishness and the mad ambition of this unnatural mother. I will acknowledge my daughter; you will adopt her, and thus, as I hoped, she will find in you maternal affection." "No, you will not do that; no, you will not leave the birth of your child in the shade. The countess is of a noble and ancient house; for you, doubtless, this alliance is disproportionate, but it is honorable. By this marriage, your daughter will not be legitimatized, but legitimate; and thus, whatever may happen to her, she can be proud of her father, and openly acknowledge her mother." "But to renounce you--is impossible. Oh! you do not think what happiness it would have been for me, divided between you and my child--my only love in this world." [Illustration: THE PLEA FOR CHARITY] "Your child remains to your highness: heaven has miraculously restored her to you. Not to be perfectly happy will be ingratitude!" "Oh! you do not love me as I love you." "Believe it, your highness, believe it; the sacrifice that you make to duty will seem less painful." "But if you love me--if your regrets are as bitter as mine, you will be very unhappy. What will remain for you?" "Charity, your highness! that admirable sentiment which you have awakened in my heart; that sentiment which has caused me to forget so many sorrows, and to which I am indebted for so many sweet and tender consolations."