"Ah, heaven, if he is there--so much the better! And since no one here dares speak outright to one of the famous conquerors of the Bastille, I take it upon myself," cried Hubert still louder, his eyes glaring with anger, and starting for the door of the room. But Madam Desmarais, alarmed and suppliant, seized the financier by the arm, exclaiming in a trembling voice, "Brother, I beg you! Oh, God, have pity on us!" Hubert yielded to the prayers of his sister and stopped just as Desmarais, emerging from his revery, said to his wife with a sigh of relief, "Dear friend, I have hit upon quite a plausible way, in case Monsieur Lebrenn has the impudence to ask for our daughter's hand, to reject his demand without giving him anything to be offended at. I shall refuse him without irritating him." "Another cowardice that you are meditating," cried Hubert, exasperated. "Let me receive your workingman!" "I thank you, brother-in-law, for your offer. Please leave me alone. I shall know how to guard my dignity." Then, addressing Gertrude. "Show Monsieur Lebrenn in." "We shall leave you, my friend," said Madam Lebrenn to her husband. "Come, brother, let us find Charlotte. I count on your influence to dissuade her from this match, and to bring her back to herself." Hubert took the arm of his sister, and left the room; but not without saying to himself as he did so, "By heaven, I shall not lose the opportunity of speaking my mind to that workingman, if only for the honor of the family. I shall have my chance to talk." As the wife and brother-in-law of lawyer Desmarais disappeared through one of the side-doors of the room, John Lebrenn was shown in by Gertrude through the principal entrance. Desmarais, at the sight of John, controlled and hid his anger under a mask of cordial hospitality. He took two steps to meet the young man, and clasped him affectionately by the hand: "With what pleasure do I see you again, my dear friend! Your hurt, I hope, is not serious? We were quite alarmed about you." "Thanks to God, my wound is slight; and I am truly touched by the interest you show in me." "Nothing surprising, my dear John. Do you not know that I am your friend?" "It is just to throw myself upon your friendship that I have come to see you." "Well, well! And what is it?" "It is my duty at this solemn moment to answer you without circumlocution, monsieur," said John Lebrenn in a voice filled with emotion. "I love your daughter. She has returned my love, and I am come to ask of you her hand." "What do I hear!" exclaimed advocate Desmarais, feigning extreme surprise. "Mademoiselle Charlotte, I am certain, will approve the request that I now prefer to you, and which accords with the sentiments she has shown me." "So, my dear John," continued the attorney with a paternal air that seemed to augur the best for the young workman, "my daughter and you--you love, and you have sworn to belong to each other? So stands the situation?"