"Ferdinand Ardayre is deeply incriminated with Harietta; it is only a question of a little time and he will be taken too. Then, Denzil, you, in the natural course of events, would have been the Head of the Family. You will need all your philosophy never to feel any jar in the situation with your son as the years go on. You will have to look at it squarely, dear old friend, and know that it is impossible to have interfered with destiny and to have gone scott free. Then you will be able to accept title affair with common sense and prize what you have obtained, without spoiling it with futile regrets. You have paid most of your score with wounds and suffering, and now can expect what happiness the agony of the world can let a man enjoy. "My blessings to you both and to the Ardayre son. "And now adieu for a long time." He had hardly written the last line when the telephone rang, and the frantic voice of Stanislass, his ancient friend, called to him! Harietta had been taken away to St. Lazare--her maid had denounced her. What could be done? A great wave of relief swept over Stepan. So he was not to be the instrument of justice after all! How profoundly he thanked God! But the irony of the thing shook him. Harietta would pay with her life for having maltreated a dog! Truly the workings of fate were marvellous. CHAPTER XXIII The days in prison for Harietta, before and after her trial, were days of frenzied terror, alternating with incredulity. She would not believe that she was to die. Stanislass and Ferdinand, and even Verisschenzko, would save her! She loathed the hard bed at St. Lazare, and the discomfort, and the ugliness, and the Sister of Charity! She spent hours tramping her cell like a wild beast in a cage. She would roar with inarticulate fury, and cry aloud to her husband, and her lovers, one after another, and then she would cower in a corner, shaking with fear. The greatest pain of all was the thought that Stepan and Amaryllis would marry and be happy. Once or twice foam gathered at the corners of her lips when she thought of this. If she could have reached Marie, that would have given her some satisfaction--to tear out her eyes! For Ferdinand Ardayre had told her how Marie had given her up, working quietly until she had all necessary proofs, and then denouncing her. When Stanislass had returned from the Club, whither she had despatched him for the evening, so that she might be free to dine with Verisschenzko, he found that she had already been taken away. The shock, when he discovered that nothing could be done, had nearly killed him--he now lay dangerously ill in a Maison de Sante, happily unconscious of events. For Ferdinand Ardayre the blow had fallen with crushing force. The one strong thing in his weak nature was his passion for Harietta--and to be robbed of her in such a way!