“Mrs. Frasne? Let him accuse her, let him just dare to accuse her. He had nothing to say at the examination, he says nothing at the trial. ‘I defy him to incriminate her,’ concluded the advocate, perhaps imprudently informed by Mr. Battard of Maurice’s generous obstinacy: and this silence, too, which is virtually an admission, condemns him.” From the dining-room they had passed into the study. Margaret, in this bitter and yet impartial review of the plaintiff’s argument which her father made, heard the rumble of her father’s fury and despair, and was upset by it completely. “Father,” she murmured, “aren’t we lost? Have you still hope?” “As if I hadn’t!” “When will it be over?” “At two o’clock, in forty minutes more, Mr. Porterieux will resume his argument.” “Hasn’t he done enough harm to us?” “It appears not. He has one more argument to enlarge on.” “What is it?” “The new admission that comes, according to him, from my making restitution of the one hundred thousand francs. By three o’clock I suppose my turn comes. At four or four-thirty I shall be done.” And he added, in an easy tone, to reassure her: “Charles’s train gets in at one. Your brother-in-law ought to be here now.” A little later, in fact, Charles rang the bell. “What news, my dear father?” he asked as he came in. “Germaine cried this morning when she said good-bye to me, and the three children imitated her. Your telegram last night caused us so much sorrow. Poor Hubert!” “I was waiting for you, Charles. Your place is by my side. Margaret will talk to you about things while she gets your lunch. Let me be by myself a few minutes. Be ready at five minutes to two.” “I’ll be ready. And oh, I must warn you that I’ve made my arrangements for restoring half of Germaine’s dot to you. Later you shall have it all.” The young lawyer made this announcement with rather an ill grace, being a man little accustomed to benevolence, and trying to disguise it. He, too, had been overborne by sympathy for the common cause; but as his mind followed his heart protestingly, he did not like to advertise his defeat. “I won’t accept it, my dear Charles,” replied Mr. Roquevillard. He was more moved by this cooperation than the opposition that he had been prepared to combat, and he added: “Embrace me, Charles.” Thus family ties were stronger than ever in misfortune.