The marquis already held Blanche in his arms. The young girl uttered a piercing cry, and gathering her strength, disengaged herself, jumping lightly from her bed, but Villebelle again seized her; he tried to cover her with kisses; he tried to stifle her cries. Blanche threw herself at his feet, extended her arms towards him, supplicatingly, and cried in a heart-breaking-voice,-- "Mercy! mercy! if only for today." These accents penetrated to the depths of the marquis' soul. The sight of Blanche at his feet, of her tears and of her despair, restored him to reason, but fearing that he might no longer be able to master his passion, he precipitately left the young girl, and distractedly fled to his room. CHAPTER XIV URBAIN'S VISIT TO THE MARQUIS. CHAUDOREILLE'S LAST ADVENTURE Blanche remained motionless and silent for a long time in the place where she had implored, and her loveliness and the nameless charm of her innocence had obtained, the pity, the forbearance of a man who had been about to wrong her womanhood. At last a flood of tears relieved her heart. She rose and then looked about her with terror; she listened tremblingly; at the least sound caused by the wind on the lake she shuddered, and imagined she heard the marquis returning. She passed the night in cruel anxiety. "All is over," she said, weeping; "my hope of happiness is completely shattered. O my well-beloved Urbain, I shall see you no more; they will separate us forever, but I will die rather than cease to be worthy of thee." The marquis had rested no better than his victim. Divided between love and remorse, regretting at times having yielded to what he called his weakness, and cursing a passion which made Blanche unhappy, he saw day break without having closed his eyes. Astonished at having received no orders in regard to Julia, Touquet presented himself before the marquis; he remarked the dejection of the latter's features, and sought to divine the cause of it. Villebelle's gloomy and melancholy tone did not indicate that he was happy; he remained silent, and the barber dared not question him. At this moment Germain entered the room, and announced to his master that a young man had presented himself at the chateau, and begged the favor of speech with him. "A young man?" said the marquis. "Is he an inhabitant of the neighborhood?" "No, monseigneur, his dress is that of a young student; he expresses himself well, and appears to have the greatest desire to see you." "He did not tell you his name?" "He says that you know him without knowing his name." "How very singular, can he be a messenger from Julia?" said Villebelle, looking at the barber. "I don't think so, monsieur le marquis. The description which Germain has given of the stranger is not that of Chaudoreille." "When they introduce this young man, Touquet, step into the next room; it is possible he wishes to speak to me alone."