his assumption of calm。 I understand now that old Prince Soderini； the
father of the Duchess d'Argaiolo； came here to take back his
daughter's letters and portraits。 This was the thunderbolt that fell
on Albert's head； and he went off； no doubt； to try to justify
himself。 But how is it that in fourteen months he has given us no news
of himself？〃
〃Oh！ if I marry him； he will be so happy！〃
〃Happy？He does not love you。 Besides； you have no great fortune to
give him。 Your mother detests you； you made her a fierce reply which
rankles； and which will be your ruin。 When she told you yesterday that
obedience was the only way to repair your errors； and reminded you of
the need for marrying； mentioning Amedee'If you are so fond of him；
marry him yourself； mother！'Did you； or did you not； fling these
words in her teeth？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Rosalie。
〃Well； I know her；〃 Monsieur de Grancey went on。 〃In a few months she
will be Comtesse de Soulas！ She will be sure to have children； she
will give Monsieur de Soulas forty thousand francs a year； she will
benefit him in other ways； and reduce your share of her fortune as
much as possible。 You will be poor as long as she lives； and she is
but eight…and…thirty！ Your whole estate will be the land of les
Rouxey； and the small share left to you after your father's legal
debts are settled； if； indeed； your mother should consent to forego
her claims on les Rouxey。 From the point of view of material
advantages； you have done badly for yourself； from the point of view
of feeling； I imagine you have wrecked your life。 Instead of going to
your mother〃 Rosalie shook her head fiercely。
〃To your mother；〃 the priest went on； 〃and to religion； where you
would； at the first impulse of your heart； have found enlightenment；
counsel； and guidance； you chose to act in your own way； knowing
nothing of life； and listening only to passion！〃
These words of wisdom terrified Mademoiselle de Watteville。
〃And what ought I to do now？〃 she asked after a pause。
〃To repair your wrong…doing； you must ascertain its extent；〃 said the
Abbe。
〃Well； I will write to the only man who can know anything of Albert's
fate； Monsieur Leopold Hannequin； a notary in Paris； his friend since
childhood。〃
〃Write no more； unless to do honor to truth；〃 said the Vicar…General。
〃Place the real and the false letters in my hands； confess everything
in detail as though I were the keeper of your conscience； asking me
how you may expiate your sins； and doing as I bid you。 I shall see
for； above all things； restore this unfortunate man to his innocence
in the eyes of the woman he had made his divinity on earth。 Though he
has lost his happiness； Albert must still hope for justification。〃
Rosalie promised to obey the Abbe； hoping that the steps he might take
would perhaps end in bringing Albert back to her。
Not long after Mademoiselle de Watteville's confession a clerk came to
Besancon from Monsieur Leopold Hannequin； armed with a power of
attorney from Albert； he called first on Monsieur Girardet； begging
his assistance in selling the house belonging to Monsieur Savaron。 The
attorney undertook to do this out of friendship for Albert。 The clerk
from Paris sold the furniture； and with the proceeds could repay some
money owed by Savaron to Girardet； who on the occasion of his
inexplicable departure had lent him five thousand francs while
undertaking to collect his assets。 When Girardet asked what had become
of the handsome and noble pleader； to whom he had been so much
attached； the clerk replied that no one knew but his master； and that
the notary had seemed greatly distressed by the contents of the last
letter he had received from Monsieur Albert de Savarus。
On hearing this； the Vicar…General wrote to Leopold。 This was the
worthy notary's reply：
〃To Monsieur l'Abbe de Grancey；
Vicar…General of the Diocese of Besancon。
〃PARIS。
〃Alas； monsieur； it is in nobody's power to restore Albert to the
life of the world； he has renounced it。 He is a novice in the
monastery of the Grand Chartreuse near Grenoble。 You know； better
than I who have but just learned it； that on the threshold of that
cloister everything dies。 Albert； foreseeing that I should go to
him； placed the General of the Order between my utmost efforts and
himself。 I know his noble soul well enough to be sure that he is
the victim of some odious plot unknown to us； but everything is at
an end。 The Duchesse d'Argaiolo； now Duchesse de Rhetore； seems to
me to have carried severity to an extreme。 At Belgirate； which she
had left when Albert flew thither； she had left instructions
leading him to believe that she was living in London。 From London
Albert went in search of her to Naples； and from Naples to Rome；
where she was now engaged to the Duc de Rhetore。 When Albert
succeeded in seeing Madame d'Argaiolo； at Florence； it was at the
ceremony of her marriage。
〃Our poor friend swooned in the church； and even when he was in
danger of death he could never obtain any explanation from this
woman； who must have had I know not what in her heart。 For seven
months Albert had traveled in pursuit of a cruel creature who
thought it sport to escape him； he knew not where or how to catch
her。
〃I saw him on his way through Paris； and if you had seen him； as I
did； you would have felt that not a word might be spoken about the
Duchess； at the risk of bringing on an attack which might have
wrecked his reason。 If he had known what his crime was； he might
have found means to justify himself； but being falsely accused of
being married！what could he do？ Albert is dead； quite dead to
the world。 He longed for rest； let us hope that the deep silence
and prayer into which he has thrown himself may give him happiness
in another guise。 You； monsieur； who have known him； must greatly
pity him； and pity his friends also。
〃Yours； etc。〃
As soon as he received this letter the good Vicar…General wrote to the
General of the Carthusian order； and this was the letter he received
from Albert Savarus：
〃Brother Albert to Monsieur l'Abbe de Grancey；
Vicar…General of the Diocese of Besancon。
〃LA GRANDE CHARTREUSE。
〃I recognized your tender soul； dear and well…beloved Vicar…
General； and your still youthful heart； in all that the reverend
Father General of our Order has just told me。 You have understood
the only wish that lurks in the depths of my heart so far as the
things of the world are concernedto get justice done to my
feelings by her who has treated me so badly！ But before leaving me
at liberty to avail myself of your offer； the General wanted to
know that my vocation was sincere； he was so kind as to tell me
his idea； on finding that I was determined to preserve absolute
silence on this point。 If I had yielded to the temptation to
rehabilitate the man of the world； the friar would have been
rejected by this monastery。 Grace has certainly done her work；
but； though short； the struggle was not the less keen or the less
painful。 Is not this enough to show you that I could never return
to the world？
〃Hence my forgiveness； which you ask for the author of so much
woe； is entire and without a thought of vindictiveness。 I will
pray to God to forgive that young lady as I forgive her； and as I
shall beseech Him to give Madame de Rhetore a life of happiness。
Ah！ whether it be death； or the obstinate hand of a young girl
madly bent on being loved； or one of the blows ascribed to chance；
must we not all obey God？ Sorrow in some souls makes a vast void
through which the Divine Voice rings。 I learned too late the
bearings of this life on that which awaits us； all in me is worn
out； I could not serve in the ranks of the Church Militant； and I
lay the remains of an almost extinct life at the foot of the
altar。
〃This is the last time I shall ever write。 You alone； who loved
me； and whom I loved so well； could make me break the law of
oblivion I imposed on myself when I entered these headquarters of
Saint Bruno； but you are always especially named in the prayers of
〃BROTHER ALBERT。
〃November 1836。〃
〃Everything is for the best perhaps；〃 thought the Abbe de Grancey。
When he showed this letter to Rosalie； who； with a pious impulse；
kissed the lines which contained her forgiveness； he said to her：
〃Well； now that he is lost to you； will you not be reconciled to your
mother and marry the Comte de Soulas？〃
〃Only if Albert should order it；〃 said she。
〃But you see it is impossible to consult him。 The General of the Order
would not allow it。〃
〃If I were to go to see him？〃
〃No Carthusian sees any visitor。 Besides； no woman but the Queen of
France may enter a Carthusian monastery；〃 said the Abbe。 〃So you have
no longer any excuse for not marrying young Monsieur de Soulas。〃
〃I do not wish to destroy my mother's happiness；〃 retorted Rosalie。
〃Satan！〃 exclaimed the Vicar…General。
Towards the end of that winter the worthy Abbe de Grancey died。 This
good friend no longer stood between Madame de Watteville and her
daughter； to soften the impact of those two iron wills。
The event he had foretold took place。 In the month of August 1837
Madame de Watteville was married to Monsieur de Soulas in Paris；
whither she went by Rosalie's advice； the girl making a show of
kindness and sweetness to her mother。 Madame de Watteville believed in
this affection on the part of her daughter； who simply desired to go
to Paris to give herself the luxury of a bitter revenge； she thought
of nothing but avenging Savarus by torturing her rival。
Mademoiselle de Watteville had been declared legally of age； she was；
in fact； not far from one…and…twenty。 Her mother； to settle with her
finally； had resigned her claims on les Rouxey； and the daughter had
signed a release for all the inheritance of the Baron de Watteville。
Rosalie encouraged her mother to marry the Comte de Soulas and settle
all her own fortune on him。
〃Let us each be perfectly free；〃 she said。
Madame de Soulas； who had been uneasy as to her daughter's intentions；
was tou