"M. Rodolph, I have told you: she had scarcely entered my room, when, seeing the crucifix, she fell on her knees before it. It is impossible for me to tell you, to describe the spontaneous and naturally religious feeling that evidently dictated this. I saw in an instant that hers was no degraded soul. And then, M. Rodolph, the expression of her gratitude to you had nothing exaggerated in it; but it is not the less sincere. And I have another proof of how natural and potent is this religious instinct in her. I said to her, 'You must have been much astonished, and very happy, when M. Rodolph told you that you were to remain here for the future? What an effect it must have had on you!' 'Yes, oh, yes,' was her reply; 'when M. Rodolph told me so, I cannot describe what passed within me; but I felt that kind of holy happiness which I experience in going into a church. When I could go there,' she added, 'for you know, madame--' 'I know, my child, for I shall always call you my child (I could not let her go on when I saw her cover her face for shame), I know that you have suffered deeply; but God blesses those who love and fear him, those who have been unhappy, and those who repent.'" "Then, my good Madame Georges, I am doubly happy at what I have done. This poor girl will greatly interest you, her disposition is so excellent, her instincts so right." "What has besides affected me, M. Rodolph, is that she has not allowed one single question to escape her about you, although her curiosity must be so much excited. Struck with a reserve so full of delicacy, I wished to know what she felt. I said to her, 'You must be very curious to know who your mysterious benefactor is?' 'Know him!' she replied, with delightful simplicity; 'he is my benefactor.'" "Then you will love her. Excellent woman! she will find some interest in your heart." "Yes, I shall occupy my heart with her as I should with _him_," said Madame Georges, in a broken voice. Rodolph took her hand. "Do not be discouraged; come, come, if our search has been unsuccessful so far, yet one day, perhaps--" Madame Georges shook her head sorrowfully, and said, in bitter accents, "My poor son would be now twenty years old!" "Say he is that age--" "God hear you, and grant it, M. Rodolph." "He will hear, I fully believe. Yesterday I went (but in vain) to find a certain fellow called Bras Rouge who might, perhaps, have given me some information about your son. Coming away from this Bras Rouge's abode, after a struggle in which I was engaged, I met with this unfortunate girl--" "Alas! but your kind endeavour in my behalf has thrown in your way another unfortunate being, M. Rodolph." "You have no intelligence from Rochefort?" "None," said Madame Georges, shuddering, and in a low voice. "So much the better! We can no longer doubt but that the monster met his death in the attempt to escape from the--" Rodolph hesitated to pronounce the horrible word.