"Chevalier, you have saved the honor of my family! thanks! thanks a thousand times! May you not fall a victim to your noble sacrifice!--As for myself, I know my duty--within an hour I shall have ceased to live. Adieu! I do not ask you for your hand, for mine is sullied! But forgive me--for my wife's sake and my child's!" Jarnonville, deeply moved, offered Léodgard his hand; but the officer said to him: "I am waiting, Sire de Jarnonville;" and the chevalier hastened from the room, with a last glance at the wounded man. When Léodgard was left alone, he looked about the room for several minutes with a vague, uncertain glance, until his eyes rested at last upon a small article of furniture in a recess; a gleam of satisfaction passed over his face, and he was about to ring, when a servant entered and said timidly: "Pardon me, monsieur le comte, for entering the room without being summoned; but madame la comtesse is most desirous to see you; she is bringing mademoiselle." "Very well; in one instant. First, open that cupboard yonder; the key is in the lock; that is right. In the left-hand drawer you will find a phial; give it to me." The servant obeyed his master's orders, and brought him a small phial containing a yellowish liquid. Léodgard took it, examined it carefully, and placed it under his pillow, saying: "Now, you may inform madame la comtesse that I am ready to receive her." Bathilde was evidently waiting in an adjoining room, for she appeared almost instantly with Blanche, who ran to her father's bed, crying: "Friend! papa! Blanche is very glad you came back. You sick; we are going to take care of you, like we did before. But then you won't go away any more, will you? you will stay with us?" "No! oh, no! I shall not go away any more, darling girl!" replied Léodgard, motioning to Bathilde to place Blanche on the bed, so that he might kiss her. And in a moment he held her lovely face against his breast and covered her brow with kisses, while great tears escaped from his eyes, which had never wept. Bathilde, profoundly moved, knelt beside the bed, murmuring: "Dear Léodgard! it makes me so happy to see the love that you bear your child! Ah! do not doubt that we will both do our utmost to be worthy of your affection. To live with you will be the sweetest reward of our devotion of every instant, of our zeal to please you in everything." "Thanks, Bathilde! Give me your hand, that I may press it.--Do you too come near, so that I may kiss your brow." "O my dear! your lips are burning--your eyes seem more sunken--you are suffering more! Please let me send for the doctor?" "Do nothing of the sort; I forbid it! In a little while I will rest, and that will cure me; I shall not suffer any more.--Blanche, my child, look at me again. Ah! how lovely you are! how proud we shall be of you! And you will be good, too; I can read it in your face. You love your mother--you will make her happy."