"You will have to, though! You are a source of trouble and shame to the family to which you have allied yourself, and as you have not the courage to kill yourself, I have come to help you. You must leave Paris to- night, or you will be arrested. We shall go together to Brussels and there we shall fight. If chance favors you, you will be at liberty to continue your infamies, but at any rate I shall have done my best to rid two unfortunate women of your presence." "You are mad!" said Serge, sneeringly. "Don't think so! And know that I am ready for any emergency. Come; must I strike you, to give you courage?" growled Pierre, ready to suit the action to the word. "Ah! take care!" snarled Serge, with an evil look. And opening a drawer which was close to him, he took out a revolver. "Thief first, then murderer!" said Pierre, with a terrible laugh. "Come, let's see you do it!" And he was going toward the Prince when the door opened, and Madame Desvarennes came forward. Placing her hand on Pierre's shoulder, she said, in that commanding tone which few could resist: "Go; wait for me in my room. I wish it!" Pierre bowed, and, without answering, went out. Serge had placed the pistol on the table and was waiting. "We have to talk over several matters," said Madame Desvarennes, gravely, "and you know it." "Yes, Madame," answered Panine, sadly, "and, believe me, no one judges my conduct more severely than I do." The mistress could not help looking surprised. "Ah!" she said, with irony, "I did not expect to find you in such a mood. You have not accustomed me to such humility and sweetness. You must be afraid, to have arrived at that stage!" The Prince appeared not to have understood the implied insult in his mother-in-law's words. One thing struck him, which was that she evidently did not expect to find him repentant and humbled. "Micheline must have told you," he began. "I have not seen my daughter," interrupted the mistress, sharply, as if to make him understand that he must depend solely upon himself. Ignorant that Micheline had met Jeanne on her way to her mother, and had gone to Cayrol, Serge thought he was abandoned by his only powerful ally. He saw that he was lost and that his feigned resignation was useless. Unable to control himself any longer, his face darkened with rage. "She, too, against me! Well! I will defend myself alone!" Turning toward Madame Desvarennes, he added: "To begin with, what do you want with me?" "I wish to ask you a question. We business folk when we fail, and cannot pay our way, throw blood on the blot and it disappears. You members of the nobility, when you are disgraced, how do you manage?"