"How?" exclaimed Pierre Raimond, indignantly; "does the wretched woman even presume so far as to look up after your--what shall I call it?--weakness; oh! then this time shew neither pity nor compassion, crimes such as hers deserve no mercy. Have a care that you do not carry your generosity rather too far; there is a dangerous gulf intermediate between a magnanimous forbearance towards our enemies, and a culpable indifference towards the wicked, whose misdeeds merit condign chastisement." The utter prostration of bodily powers seemed to prevent M. de Hansfeld from making any attempt to interrupt Pierre Raimond, but when he had ceased speaking, the prince said mournfully,-- "My wife is not guilty! while I have deceived you greatly, by introducing myself into your family under a false name: candour and honesty alike call for this avowal!" "What is this I hear?" exclaimed the old man, suddenly rising from his chair. Pale and terrified, Bertha gazed on M. de Hansfeld with painful anxiety, from him to her father, but the features of the old man wore an expression of gloomy sternness that made her quickly turn away her eyes. "Explain yourself, sir!" said the engraver, coldly; "it is impossible for me to attempt to find any excuse for your conduct until I have heard the whole of your reasons for acting as you have done." "I will reveal every thing; deign, however, to bear in mind that I am in no way compelled to make my present avowal; and my sole reason for so doing is that I may remain worthy of your friendship." "After so base a deception? hope it not, sir!" "Be kind enough to hear my exculpation, it may probably induce you to view my offence with greater indulgence. When chance enabled me to offer you my assistance, which was afterwards so more than repaid by your humane intervention in my behalf, and that I was, during my temporary loss of consciousness, transported into your dwelling, my first impulse was to declare to you my real name; but at the very instant the words were on my lips, your daughter entered." "And how could that prevent you following out your intention?" "Because I recognised her!" "Me?" exclaimed Bertha. "Observe, I knew her only by sight," resumed Arnold; "a few evenings previously I had met your daughter at the Théâtre François: her name was pronounced in my presence, and subsequently I heard a just eulogium passed on the stern but noble pride of her father." "You will be pleased, sir, to dispense with praise, either false or real, on the present occasion," interrupted Pierre Raimond impatiently. "I offer them not as my words, or with any intention of conciliating you by flattery; but in order better to explain the reason of my concealing my title--since fate has thought proper that I should bear one."