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 3 1924 027 367 147 
 
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 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
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 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924027367147 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 A N OVE L 
 
 ^y GEORGES OHNET 
 
 Author of 
 "The Ironmaster," "Serge Panine," "Dr. Rameau," etc. 
 
 Translated by FRED. ROTHWELL, B.A. 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY 
 I go I 
 
 (^(' I; 1.1 1 I I 
 

 ButboriscD CtanBlatton 
 
 Copyright, igoi, by 
 FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY 
 
 Published in May, igoi 
 
 Y1 irt?;ivim.' 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PART I 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. A FiN-DE-SiECLE Dinner g 
 
 II. A Tragic Story ig 
 
 III. A Treaty of Alliance 34 
 
 IV. An Important Visit 45 
 
 V. An Important Witness 61 
 
 VI. Behind a Mask 77 
 
 VII. A Battle of Wits 82 
 
 VIII. "When Greek Meets Greek" .... 104 
 
 IX. Flashes of Light 115 
 
 X. Step by Step Against Error 131 
 
 XI. A Desperate Attempt to Rescue Jacques de 
 
 FRfiNEUSE 148 
 
 XII. Critical Interviews 155 
 
 XIII. The Plot Thickens 175 
 
 XIV. A Secret Voyage 183 
 
 PART II 
 
 I. A Bagnio in New Caledonia igS 
 
 II. Tragomer Interviews the Martyr . . . 201 
 
 III. A Daring Plan of Escape 215 
 
 IV. Out on the Open Sea 241 
 
 V. Under the Union Jack 24g 
 
vi CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 VI. Two Years Ago 257 
 
 VII. The Secret Springs of a Diabolical Plot . 276 
 VIII. Plans of Future Action 283 
 
 PART III 
 
 I. In London 291 
 
 II. Mother and Son Meet in London . . . 300 
 
 III. The Love of Marie and Tragomer, . . .311 
 
 IV. Cornered 319 
 
 V. A Confession 349 
 
 VI. The Day of Reckoning 378 
 
PART I 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Chapter I 
 
 A FIN-DE-SlfeCLE DINNER 
 
 In the foreigners' dining-room of the Automo- 
 bilists' Club dinner was drawing to an end. It was 
 ten o'clock. Coffee was being served, the footmen 
 had withdrawn, and in the drawing-room close by 
 boxes of cigars were awaiting the smokers. The 
 guests were a dozen in number, six of either sex ; the 
 host was Cyprien Marenval, the millionaire parvenu. 
 Around the table, adorned with rare flowers and 
 sparkling with crystal and silver plate, amid a dis- 
 order and a familiarity explained by the excellence 
 of the repast and the quality of the wines, the com- 
 pany, gathered round Marenval, was listening to a 
 tall, fair-complexioned young man, who, in spite of 
 frequent interruptions, continued with an imper- 
 tarbable coolness. 
 
 " No, I do not believe in human infallibility even 
 in those whose profession it is to pass sentence, and 
 who are consequently in a position to boast of spe- 
 cial experience. No, I can not believe that an ordi- 
 nary individual, like one of ourselves, as soon as he 
 
 9 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 takes his seat in the jury-box can be crushed by 
 superior revelations such as will give him intuitive 
 knowledge. No, I can not believe that kind-hearted 
 fathers or even bachelors, from the mere fact of 
 being clothed in black or red gowns, with or without 
 ermine, are no longer capable of being deceived, and 
 pronouncing sentences against which there is no 
 appeal. To sum up, I claim the right to believe in 
 the blindness of our countrymen in general, and of 
 the judges in particular, and, on principle, I main- 
 tain the possibility of legal error." 
 
 Considerable excitement reigned among those 
 present. A chorus of expressions of disapproval 
 arose, and some of the ladies began to strike their 
 glasses with their knives. The speaker's friends 
 once more tried to silence him. 
 
 " Maugiron, what a bore you are! " 
 
 " We shall fine you a supper, Maugiron. " 
 
 " He'll never finish his speech." 
 
 " What old-fashioned notions ! He must be going 
 in for the magistracy. " 
 
 " You are a pack of idiots! " exclaimed Maugiron, 
 profiting by a lull in the storm. 
 
 "The wretch! " exclaimed Mariette de Fontenoy. 
 " Suppose we go away and leave him alone. " 
 
 " Marenval, why do you invite us to dine with 
 people who indulge in serious conversation at des- 
 sert ? " asked the handsome Lucette Pithiviers. 
 
 " Hello! Look at Tragomer," said Laurence Mar- 
 gillier to Maugiron, who listened impassively to all 
 these remarks. "He, at any rate, is no bore, and 
 has not uttered a single disagreeable word. " 
 
A FIN-DE-SIECLE DINNER 
 
 "Well," said Maugiron, "give me your opinion 
 on legal mistakes, Tragomer." 
 
 " Oh, come now, that is sufficient. He is off again. 
 Can he be tipsy? Off with him to the Bodini^re. 
 Thrust his napkin into his moiith. " 
 
 All these exclamations were accompanied by roars 
 of laughter. And yet Tragomer remained silent and 
 impassive. He was a tall, well-built man, thirty 
 years of age, of sunburnt complexion, with black 
 curly hair and magnificent blue eyes. His firm- 
 looking mouth under a dark mustache and his clean- 
 shaven chin presented all the characteristics of strong 
 will-power, even to obstinacy. His broad white 
 forehead revealed faculties of reflection and imagi- 
 nation. Seeing him thus suddenly become serious 
 and rather gloomy -looking, the light-hearted gaiety 
 of the rest cooled down, and it was with a certain 
 amount of anxiety that old Chambol, Marenval's in- 
 separable friend, questioned the young man whose 
 gravity formed so marked a contrast with the sur- 
 rounding gaiety. 
 
 " Ah, Monsieur de Tragomer, what is the matter? 
 Has this young ninny Maugiron given you an un- 
 pleasant impression with his paradoxes ? You are 
 extremely silent and gloomy considering that you 
 have before you the finest wine and the prettiest 
 women in Paris." 
 
 Tragomer raised his head, while a smile flitted 
 across his face. 
 
 " If I appeared just now rather absent-minded 
 the reason is that I was thinking of what our 
 friend has just been saying, and that, in spite of 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 his passionate outbursts, I believe there is a basis 
 of truth " 
 
 " Ah ! " exclaimed Maugiron, in triumph. " You 
 see Tragomer, a Breton nobleman, shares the opin- 
 ion I have just been giving you. Speak, Tragomer, 
 you must have at your command arguments which 
 will convince all these idiots who were hooting me 
 just now, and are now eagerly drinking in your 
 words because your tragic looks lead them to expect 
 sensational disclosures. Go at it, my dear fellow, 
 open the floodgates of your eloquence. Crush 
 them, Marenval especially, for interrupting me a 
 few minutes ago." 
 
 " Off he goes again ! " exclaimed Marenval in de- 
 spair. " Who will stop this chatterbox? " 
 
 " Enough! " exclaimed a chorus of voices. 
 
 " Tragomer ! Tragomer ! " 
 
 And the knives began to strike the glasses in 
 measured time with a deafening noise. Maugiron 
 waved his hand to impose silence, and in soft, fluty 
 tones said : 
 
 " Monsieur le Vicomte Christian de Tragomer 
 will address the meeting on the subject of legal error 
 and its fatal consequences. " 
 
 Then, resuming his seat, he lit a cigar, and a 
 deep silence prevailed, as tho all present sus- 
 pected that Christian had important revelations to 
 unfold. 
 
 "You all know," said Tragomer, "that I set out 
 for a journey round the world a couple of years 
 ago, and so have been away from Paris and my 
 friends, up to last autumn. During that time I trav- 
 
A FIN-DE-SIECLE DINNER 
 
 ersed numerous lands in the hope of freeing myself 
 from the feeling of sadness which had come over 
 me. I had weighty reasons for leaving France. A 
 great grief had almost ruined my life. A mysteri- 
 ous event, even now inexplicable to me, had occa- 
 sioned the arrest, judgment, and condemnation of 
 my dearest friend, Jacques de Fr^neuse " 
 
 "Yes, we remember the sad event," said Cham- 
 bol, " the more so as Marenval is slightly connected 
 with the Fr6neuse family, and was consequently 
 keenly affected by the terrible scandal the trial 
 caused. " 
 
 " It must have been very unpleasant, " said Mari- 
 ette de Fontenoy, " for a man like Marenval, who is 
 a perfect gentleman, to see one of his relatives on 
 trial at the assize court." 
 
 Marenval gave her a look full of gratitude, and 
 assuming a solemn attitude he said: 
 
 " It might have caused me enormous harm in the 
 world. I was just making my way, conquering 
 society, so to speak, by the luxury and distinction I 
 exhibited. Very little more would have been neces- 
 sary to have ruined me forever. I was a successful 
 business man, had made a fortune in food commodi- 
 ties, so I found it difficult to obtain a footing in 
 fashionable society. At a blow I fell to the position 
 of being related to a man condemned to death. No ; 
 it was anything but pleasant." 
 
 "Yes," said Laurence Margillier; "for a snob 
 you succeed pretty well." 
 
 "I am not a snob," protested Marenval eagerly. 
 "I should be disgusted at being called by such a 
 
 13 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 name, and I care only for distinction in everything. 
 My whole life has been spent in nauseous company 
 and I have had enough. I want to know only peo- 
 ple of birth now. " 
 
 " You would submit to a thrashing for the privi- 
 lege of being intimate with a duke. " 
 
 "You are right, Marenval. Never look beneath 
 yourself. " 
 
 "Yes, and make friends with those who despise 
 you. " 
 
 "In any case, I ran the risk of incurring scorn 
 through that cursed affair, " replied Marenval, vexed. 
 " I assure you, my hair turned gray in consequence." 
 
 " Ah ! ah ! turned gray, indeed? " 
 
 "He dyes it!" 
 
 " To prevent it turning red ! " 
 
 " All the same, I did my duty toward the Fr^neuse 
 family. I offered my services to the mother of the 
 unfortunate and guilty Jacques. " 
 
 " Guilty? " interrupted Tragomer forcibly. " Are 
 you sure of that? " 
 
 General excitement followed this question, so di- 
 rectly asked. 
 
 " Alas ! I shared the opinion of the magistrates, 
 the jury, and the public in general," said Marenval. 
 "Unfortunately, it was impossible to doubt. The 
 accused man himself, in the midst of his mad pro- 
 tests, could not supply a single argument in his own 
 defense. Not a single favorable testimony, and a 
 score of overwhelming proofs of guilt. One may 
 well say that everything combined to ruin him ; his 
 own imprudence and previous conduct — everything, 
 
 14 
 
A FIN-DE-SIECLE DINNER 
 
 in short. It is very painful for me to be obliged to 
 speak so. I do not believe, can not believe, in the 
 innocence of the person of whom M. de Tragomer 
 speaks, and, unless one is mad, it is impossible to 
 doubt that he killed L^a Pirelli." 
 
 "In order to rob her?" asked Tragomer ironi- 
 cally. 
 
 " He had himself, the night before, pawned all the 
 poor girl's jewels." 
 
 " Then why kill her, since she had given him all 
 she had? " 
 
 " The pledges were certainly worth twenty thou- 
 sand francs. Jacques owed a like sum to the club. 
 The debt was paid at the time appointed, the pledges 
 were presented that very day, and the jewels re- 
 deemed. L6a Pirelli was then still alive; she was 
 only killed the same night. Ah ! the cursed busi- 
 ness is vivid enough to my mind. " 
 
 "Yes, all you have just said is correct," resumed 
 Tragomer. " Poor Jacques had pawned the jewels, 
 but he denied selling the pledges. He said that 
 must have been done by the real assassin, who 
 had stolen them and redeemed the stones before 
 the murder became known. Well, this murder, of 
 which Jacques was accused, against which he de- 
 fended himself, and for which he was summoned 
 before the assizes — suppose he never committed it, 
 what would you say? " 
 
 This time the handsome Christian's words pro- 
 duced a profound impression on the listeners. They 
 all held their peace, and their eyes fixed on him with 
 passionate ardor, their attitudes strained by violent 
 
 15 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 curiosity, attested to the interest he had roused in 
 their minds. 
 
 " Well? " asked Mariette finally. 
 
 "Well," said Tragomer slowly, "in that case, I 
 believe a legal error was committed, and our friend 
 Maugiron has just been speaking very reason- 
 ably." 
 
 "But regarding Jacques de Fr^neuse and hia, 
 Pirelli? " asked Laurence Margillier. " I knew Lda 
 well; she sang divinely. " 
 
 The rest lost patience, and, incapable of restraint, 
 exclaimed : 
 
 " The story ! Is there a story connected with it? " 
 
 "Of course," replied Tragomer quietly. "But 
 you do not expect me to relate it, do you? " 
 
 " Why not? " 
 
 "Because I know I have to deal with the cleverest 
 tongues in Paris, and I do not intend my secret " 
 
 " Then there is a secret? " 
 
 "My secret to be promulgated in all the salons 
 and journals of the capital. " 
 
 "Oh!" 
 
 An exclamation of general disapproval followed. 
 Maugiron himself left Christian's side and passed 
 over to the enemy, exclaiming even more loudly 
 than the rest: 
 
 " Down with Tragomer ! Shame, Tragomer ! " 
 
 But the Breton nobleman looked at them with 
 calm blue eyes, and, sitting there with his hand 
 supporting his head, listened impassively to all these 
 maledictions. After leaving them to murmur forth 
 their displeasure, he said calmly : 
 
 i6 
 
A FIN-DE-SIECLE DINNER 
 
 " If M. Marenval will listen to me, I will relate all 
 I know to him." 
 
 " Why to him rather than to the rest of us? " 
 
 " Because he is connected with the Fr6neuse fam- 
 ily, and because, as he said just now, he has suffered 
 in consequence. I consider it just, therefore, to 
 give him an opportunity of taking advantage of what 
 I know." 
 
 "In what way?" 
 
 " That is what I will explain to himself in a few 
 minutes. " 
 
 " Good ! He is showing us the door into the bar- 
 gain ! " 
 
 "Maugiron, I beg your pardon, you have found 
 your master. Tragomer is even more of a bore 
 than you are." 
 
 "What! Chambol, the inseparable Chambol will 
 not be tolerated? " 
 
 " It is eleven o'clock," said Tragomer. " Chambol 
 is wanted at the Opera. They are giving 'Copp61ia, ' 
 and if he did not put in an appearance, what would 
 the ballet-dancers say? " 
 
 " Well, you see, it is useless for us to be amiable ; 
 we can not stay." 
 
 " No? Marenval, you could not make us stay 
 now if you wished." 
 
 "Come, don't be fools," said Marenval solemnly. 
 " The matter is serious, as you see. Leave me alone 
 quietly with Tragomer. And for your trouble " 
 
 "Ah! ah! A present? " exclaimed the ladies. 
 
 " Well, yes," said Tragomer, "you shall all receive 
 a souvenir to-morrow." 
 
 2 17 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 They clapped their hands; Cyprien's generosity 
 was well known. The souvenir would be of value. 
 Maugiron struck up, to the air of the march from 
 " Le Prophfete, " " Marenval ! Honneur k Marenval ! " 
 and all, in a chorus, took up the triumphal hymn, 
 which was immediately interrupted by the hero of it. 
 
 " Silence ! You will have the club officials here. 
 Be reasonable, and go away quietly. Good-night." 
 
 18 
 
Chapter II 
 
 A TRAGIC STORY 
 
 Handshakes were exchanged, and the merry band 
 passed into the adjoining salon for their cloaks and 
 coats. Marenval closed the door, and, once alone 
 with Tragomer, sat down, lit a cigar, and said to the 
 young man : 
 
 "You may speak now." 
 
 " You know, my dear friend, the ties of affection 
 which linked me from childhood to Jacques de Fr^- 
 neuse. We had been school companions together, 
 and in the regiment we were side by side. All his 
 youthful follies were shared by me. Tho rather too 
 free in our pleasures, and meriting criticism, yet we 
 were full of ardor and strength, and we deserved a 
 little indulgence." 
 
 " Yes, you did, my dear friend. Even in your ex- 
 cesses you were perfectly master of yourself; but 
 Jacques " 
 
 "Yes, Jacques was wanting in moderation; he 
 could not stop in time. He was an extremist, both 
 in joy and sorrow. After some act of folly I have 
 seen him repentant, weeping like a child in his 
 mother's arms; still, he repeated the same act the 
 following day. The unfortunate part was that the 
 family fortune did not allow of the fits of prodigality 
 
 19 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 to which he gave himself up, and soon after wasting 
 the inheritance he received at his father's death, 
 my unlucky friend found himself dependent on his 
 mother and sister. " 
 
 " Ah ! my dear friend, there I could not under- 
 stand him. On that point I became stern and severe 
 with him. So long as he had only broken into his 
 own capital, I considered him imprudent, for I 
 should look upon him as incapable of supporting 
 himself, but I did not blame him. Every man has 
 the right to do as he likes with his money. One 
 man hoards it up, another squanders it ; it is a mere 
 matter of taste. But imposing sacrifices on one's 
 relations, being dependent on two poor women, 
 merely to spend the money thus obtained on his own 
 vicious pleasures ! There, I have no mercy ! " 
 
 " Ah ! You are not the only one to think so, and 
 all the advice I gave him was in conformity with the 
 principles you have so clearly laid down. Jacques, 
 carried away by passion, paid no heed to my rebukes. 
 He said that morality was easy to one who had an 
 income of one hundred thousand francs, that it was 
 very fine for the rich to preach regularity of life to 
 those who had nothing ; in fact, if he could keep out 
 of debt he would be the happiest of men. And he 
 was in debt; that I know something about. He 
 would have ruined me had I allowed him a free 
 hand ; but altho I was very fond of him, I had to cool 
 down his ardor for borrowing, for I soon saw he 
 would bring me into trouble, without any advantage 
 to himself. Besides, Madame de Freneuse had 
 begged me not to aid Jacques in ruining himself by 
 
A TRAGIC STORY 
 
 lending him money. The poor woman imagined 
 that by straining hard at the bridle of a runaway 
 horse you could stop him, as tho all constraint, all 
 resistance, on the contrary, did anything other than 
 exasperate his madness." 
 
 "Was there not at that time a proposal of mar- 
 riage between yourself and Mademoiselle de Fr6- 
 neuse? " 
 
 Tragomer turned pale. His face became clouded 
 with pain ; the color went from his eyes, as tho a 
 dark cloud were passing over a rippling lake. Low- 
 ering his voice, he said : 
 
 " You call to my mind one of the crudest moments 
 in my life. Yes, I loved, I still love, Marie de Ft6- 
 neuse. I was to marry her when the catastrophe took 
 place. I can still see Jacques' mother calling on me 
 one morning, half demented with grief and fear, 
 fling herself on the sofa in my drawing-room, her 
 limbs incapable of supporting her, and say, in a 
 voice broken with sobs, 'They have just arrested 
 Jacques. . . . He is now at home. ' " 
 
 " The murder of L6a Pirelli had just been discov- 
 ered? " 
 
 "Yes, in L6a's room a woman had been found, 
 shot by a revolver, the wound rendering the face 
 unrecognizable. " 
 
 " A woman? " repeated Marenval, puzzled by the 
 wording of the phrase, as well as by the tone of 
 voice in which Tragomer had uttered it. " Do you 
 think that the murdered woman was not L6a Pi- 
 relli? " 
 
 Tragomer bowed his head. " I have my doubts." 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "But, my dear friend," resumed Marenval eager- 
 ly, "why did you not say so before now? Now 
 that a year has elapsed, you put forward so extraor- 
 dinary an opinion. Who prevented you from speak- 
 ing at the trial?" 
 
 " At that time I had not the same reasons for 
 doubting as I have to-day." 
 
 "Well, what are your reasons? Your coolness 
 sets me on fire ! You relate what is strange enough 
 to make one disbelieve his senses as tho you were 
 reading a theater program. What is your reason for 
 thinking that Jacques de Fr^neuse did not murder 
 L6a Pirelli? " 
 
 " Simply the fact that hia. Pirelli is alive." 
 
 This time Marenval was dumfounded. He 
 opened his mouth, but no sound issued from his 
 lips. In his emotion his hand fell with a crash on 
 to the table. But Tragomer gave him no time to 
 recover from his astonishment. He continued: 
 
 " Lda Pirelli is alive. I met her at San Francisco 
 three months ago, and it is because I was convinced 
 of her identity that I shortened my journey and re- 
 turned to France." 
 
 The enthusiasm with which this recital filled Ma- 
 renval was even greater than had been his skepticism. 
 Rising, he strode to and fro in the dining-room, 
 saying in broken tones: 
 
 "Incredible! Extraordinary! Now I understand 
 why he dismissed the others. What an uproar they 
 would have made ! " 
 
 Christian awaited till the other's astonishment 
 had cooled down. He was not looking at him, but 
 
A TRAGIC STORY 
 
 seemed to have a vision in the distance before him, 
 and a sorrowful smile came over his lips. He con- 
 tinued slowly: 
 
 " When I think that Jacques is in the midst of 
 bandits, imprisoned in a bagnio for a crime he did 
 not commit, a profound feeling of sadness comes 
 over me. Is there a more frightful fate imaginable 
 than that of a wretch whose guilt is violently af- 
 firmed and proved, who is secretly flung into a cell, 
 and who, insulted by the examining magistrate in 
 the court of assizes, and publicly enduring the moral 
 and physical agony of the most atrocious martyrdom, 
 repeats to all the world and to himself until he is 
 almost mad, ' I am innocent ! I am innocent ! ' and 
 sees his protests received with shouts of sarcasm. 
 The judges say to one another, ' What a monster ! ' 
 The jury think, ' What a hardened villain ! ' The 
 journalists expose their wit in daily summaries, and 
 the whole of the public blindly follows their leading. 
 Here is a man whose lot is decided on, without any 
 possible appeal. Society, through its judges, has 
 set on him its stamp ; assassin once, he must remain 
 assassin. Do not try to discuss ; the law is there, 
 and behind the law the judges who can not be mis- 
 taken, as we have just been told. There is no legal 
 error — that is all moonshine invented by novelists. 
 And if from time to time a culprit is reinstated when 
 his innocence, probably after his death, has been 
 proved, it is said that a powerful faction has suc- 
 ceeded in extorting from an infallible justice the 
 avowal of his error. And besides, the retraction is 
 effected with a bad grace. If by chance the man is 
 
 23 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 alive, public authority, instead of solemnly making 
 excuse and endeavoring to atone for the wrong, 
 both material and moral, inflicted on him, by entrust- 
 ing to him some honorable and lucrative position — 
 in a word, by treating him as a victim — summons 
 him and declares, sullenly, that he is free ; restoring 
 him to liberty with words in somewhat the following 
 strain: ' Now then, my fine fellow, don't let us catch 
 you doing wrong again ! ' Fine justice ! Righteous 
 justice ! Well paid and proudly honored ! A justice 
 worthy of admiration ! " 
 
 He burst out laughing. No longer was he the 
 quiet, calm Tragomer who during the dinner had 
 been so reserved. The blood had mounted to his 
 cheeks, and his eyes were sparkling. He turned to 
 Marenval, who was listening to him in stupefied 
 silence. 
 
 " For two years, Jacques has been lying under the 
 crushing weight of a condemnation he has not de- 
 served. His mother is in mourning ; his sister, in 
 despair, wishes to enter a nunnery. Simply because 
 some unknown rascal has committed a crime with 
 consummate skill — some one who has succeeded in 
 throwing the charge on to this unhappy Jacques, 
 who, indeed, seemed to have, by imprudence and 
 madness, caused them to believe him guilty, and to 
 have rendered it impossible that it should be other- 
 wise. " 
 
 Marenval began to get excited. Christian's re- 
 marks on the pretended infallibility had caused his 
 enthusiasm to cool down. He saw that the interest 
 of the story was flagging, and with the rigor of a 
 
 24 
 
A TRAGIC STORY 
 
 critic who demands that the dialog be abridged, 
 he said: 
 
 " We are wandering from the subject, Tragomer ; 
 let us return to L^a Pirelli. You said you had met 
 her. Where and under what circumstances? That 
 is what I want to know. There is the knot of the 
 intrigue. We will return to the rest later on. Tell 
 me now of L^a P6relli. You were at San Francisco, 
 and there you met her. Where and how? " 
 
 " In the most unexpected yet natural manner. I 
 had arrived the previous night with Raleigh Stirling, 
 the well-known Scotch sportsman, whose specialty 
 is salmon-fishing. I met him catching monsters on 
 the Great Salt Lake. He had followed me, intend- 
 ing to fish a little in the Sacramento. I had been 
 hunting bisons in Canada. We had been living to- 
 gether several weeks in the desert. It was a pleas- 
 ant change to find ourselves once more in a civilized 
 town with agreeable companions. It happened that 
 the richest banker in the town, by name Sam Pector, 
 was a relative of my companion. No sooner was 
 he informed of our arrival than he sent for us in his 
 carriage, had our luggage taken to the hotel, and 
 half by inclination, half by force, we were put up 
 at his place. He was a bachelor, fifty years of age, 
 very wealthy, and living in the style of a prince. 
 After an excellent dinner the first evening, he re- 
 marked : ' There is a performance at the opera to- 
 night. " Othello" is to be given with Jenny Hawkins 
 as Desdemona, and Rovelli, the great Italian tenor, 
 as the Moor. If you like, we will go and see them 
 from my box. If the performance tires you we will 
 
 25 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 return here or go to the California Club, as you 
 choose.' At ten o'clock we made our appearance in 
 the box and found the public in ecstasies over the 
 principal singers, who were really talented, but 
 were surrounded by unlucky artists, whose paltry 
 efforts rendered the performance, outside of the 
 parts played by the principals, a real musical 
 scandal. 
 
 " Jenny Hawkins appeared only at the end of the 
 act. As soon as she entered I was troubled by the 
 impression, a very vivid one, that I knew the woman 
 who had just come on the stage. She was dark- 
 complexioned, with well-defined features, bold eyes, 
 and slender figure. Approaching the footlights, she 
 began to sing. At that very moment, as tho by a 
 flash, I understood the resemblance to another per- 
 son which had struck me. Jenny Hawkins was the 
 very image of L^a Pirelli — a L6a, however, as dark 
 as the other was light-complexioned. She was also 
 taller and stronger. The impression I felt was pain- 
 ful in the extreme. Turning my eyes away, I looked 
 about the theater, so as not to see this phantom com- 
 ing, as it did, at the other end of the world to bring 
 back to my memory the painful circumstances on 
 account of which I had left France. But, if I did 
 not see her, I heard her, listening to the beautiful 
 'Ave Maria,' the sweet tones of which were wafted 
 to my ear by that charming voice. Often had I 
 heard L6a sing formerly when in Jacques's company. 
 But I no longer recognized the voice. It was, and 
 it was not, hers; just as Jenny Hawkins's face was 
 that of the murdered woman, and yet it differed in 
 
 26 
 
A TRAGIC STORY 
 
 certain details. Then how could this singer be hia. 
 Pirelli, who had been murdered in the Rue Mar- 
 beuf two years previously, and to atone for whose 
 murder the unhappy Jacques de Frdneuse had been 
 banished to Noumea. Madness! A mere vision! 
 A fortuitous meeting, incapable of sequence. A 
 sensation which would trouble me during an eve- 
 ning's entertainment, and cease as soon as the cur- 
 tain fell. Alas ! The terrible realities to which I was 
 brought by this resemblance would be more lasting, 
 and nothing could prevent them being cruelly and 
 irrevocably maintained. I thought of all this as I 
 listened to the artist, and yet the emotion I had felt 
 as I saw her on the stage had been so keen that I 
 wished to verify it by a fresh examination. Turning 
 round, I again looked at the woman. She was 
 kneeling on a praying-desk, her beautiful head rest- 
 ing on her clasped hands, and her eyes looking up- 
 ward, as tho to implore the protection of heaven. 
 I shuddered. For the second time, but with infi- 
 nitely more intensity than the first, I felt that L,6a 
 P6relli was before my eyes. One evening, when 
 Jacques was pouting after a violent quarrel they had 
 had, I saw her kneel in the very same way, near the 
 arm-chair into which Jacques had flung himself. She 
 had placed her elbows on the arm of the chair, and, 
 her cheek leaning on her clasped hands, she was 
 looking up at Jacques with a tender, beseeching 
 smile. It was the same face and gesture, the same 
 look and smile. Was it possible that such a resem- 
 blance, not merely physical but moral, could exist? 
 This test strengthened my belief more than I desired. 
 
 27 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 I became extraordinarily troubled, and, leaning 
 over toward my host, asked : 
 
 " ' Do you know this Jenny Hawkins? ' 
 
 " 'Certainly. It is the third time she has sung in 
 San Francisco, and every time she has had a great 
 success. ' 
 
 " ' Have you ever spoken to her? ' 
 
 " ' A dozen times. She is very pretty and 
 amiable. ' 
 
 " ' How old do you think she is? ' 
 
 " ' About twenty-five years, perhaps. She ap- 
 pears a little older in the town than on the stage, 
 where she is painted and powdered ; besides, the life 
 of an artist on tour is very tiring and destructive to 
 a woman's beauty. If you like, I will introduce you. ' 
 
 "At the idea of being in this woman's company 
 my heart beat violently, and I turned rather pale. 
 Pector said : 
 
 " ' How impressionable you are ! ' 
 
 " I continued my inquiries : 
 
 " ' Does Jenny Hawkins speak English without 
 accent? ' 
 
 " ' Yes, she speaks very correctly ; but, you know, 
 we Americans, like you French, have different pro- 
 nunciations, according to the province in which we 
 have been born. I should not be surprised if Jenny 
 Hawkins were a Canadian. She gives a slightly 
 French accent to the pronunciation of certain words. ' 
 
 " ' She sings Italian remarkably well. ' 
 
 " ' Oh, she must have learnt that for the profession. 
 All the companies which pass along here sing in 
 Italian or in German — ■ — ' 
 
 28 
 
A TRAGIC STORY 
 
 " ' Is she of a gay disposition? ' 
 
 " ' No, rather gloomy. ' 
 
 "'Is that her own hair or does she wear a wig? 
 Is she really dark-complexioned? ' 
 
 " ' Well, you are strange. How can that affect 
 you? Do you not like people with hair of a certain 
 color? With so many hair-dyes, how can one know 
 nowadays if a person's hair is natural or not? If you 
 want my opinion, I must say that I think Jenny 
 Hawkins is naturally dark-complexioned, but that 
 she used to dye blonde. ' 
 
 " ' Blonde ! ' I exclaimed, considerably troubled. 
 ' She has a slight French accent, and she dyes 
 blonde. ' 
 
 " ' Well, come along, the curtain is falling. We 
 will go behind the scenes, if you like, and invite the 
 prima-donna to supper with us. ' 
 
 " ' One more word, ' I said. ' How long has Jenny 
 Hawkins, to your knowledge, been singing in 
 America? ' 
 
 " ' Three years, at least. ' 
 
 " ' Three years ; and under the name of Haw- 
 kins? ' 
 
 " ' Certainly. ' 
 
 "All my combinations were overthrown by this 
 affirmation that the cantatrice had been known at 
 San Francisco for three years, and under the name 
 of Jenny Hawkins. How could she have been Lea 
 Pirelli in Paris and Jenny Hawkins in America at 
 the same time? Only three years previously had she 
 spent a whole year under my very eyes in that apart- 
 ment in the Rue Marbeuf, where one morning she 
 
 29 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 had been found dead. This double character was 
 inadmissible. The identity of the American was 
 clearly established. And yet she was the living 
 image of the ill-fated woman for whose murder 
 Jacques was atoning. A conviction more powerful 
 than reasoning, than probability, or even than wis- 
 dom, oppressed my mind, and in spite of everything 
 I kept repeating to myself: ' It is L6a P6relli. ' 
 
 " We had left the box and were crossing the vast 
 theater ; a key which Pector had in his pocket opened 
 the communication door, and we passed from the 
 glare of the electric lamps to the obscurity behind 
 the scenes. I followed my guide as he made his 
 way among the scenery and accessories with the as- 
 surance of an old subscriber. He was bowed to fre- 
 quently. The director hastened to meet him as 
 tho he were a king. On my asking the reason of 
 this, Raleigh Stirling phlegmatically replied that his 
 relative was one of the four owners of the theater, 
 who placed this magnificent hall almost gratuitous- 
 ly at the disposal of the impresario so as to assure 
 the enjoyment of real artistic pleasures, both by 
 their fellow townsmen and by themselves. The 
 manager now took us in hand, and mounting a flight 
 of stairs, we followed a passage leading to the artists' 
 boxes. Halting in front of a door our guide knocked 
 and said : 
 
 " ' May we come in. Miss Hawkins? ' 
 
 " ' Who is with you? ' asked a voice — not the sing- 
 er's — from the interior. 
 
 " ' Mr. Pector and two friends of his. ' 
 
 " ' Very well, come in. ' 
 30 
 
A TRAGIC STORY 
 
 " The door opened, and the servant welcomed us 
 into a salon immediately preceding the actress's 
 dressing-room. Through the half-open door came a 
 strong light, an odor of eau de Cologne and powder, 
 and a hum of voices. Then the actress, indifferent 
 to our presence, sang forth a roulade by way of 
 practise. 
 
 " The maid was speaking to her mistress, and we 
 were alone in the salon. Pector and Raleigh had 
 sat down near the fireplace. Irresistibly attracted 
 toward the door, I took a few steps forward, every 
 sense on the alert. With my back to the wall, and 
 through the opening of the door, it was possible to 
 see me. Suddenly I heard a stifled exclamation and 
 these words uttered in French ' Prends garde! ' (take 
 care!), then, my name, 'Tragomer. ' 
 
 " At the same moment the door was closed, and 
 silence reigned. And yet I had not dreamed ; this 
 time I was sure I had heard. The two words 
 ' Prends garde ' preceding the mention of my name, 
 had been uttered, I could have sworn, by a man's 
 mouth. The whole mysterious affair was develop- 
 ing, and I was in a fever of impatience. Without 
 caring for what my companions might think, I took 
 a step forward to turn the handle and enter the room, 
 when the door opened of itself and Jenny Hawkins 
 made her appearance. 
 
 "She approached with a calm smile. Her eyes 
 fell on me first, but without flinching. A careless, 
 graceful expression played on her lips, and she 
 nodded in friendly fashion with that easy bearing 
 characteristic of artists accustomed, like princes trav- 
 
 31 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 ersing a crowd, to receive the homage of strangers. 
 On hearing my name pronounced, the singer bowed 
 in my direction with an expression of astonished in- 
 terest and said gaily to Pector : 
 
 " ' Ah ! ' A French gentleman ! Rare species in 
 America. Does he speak English?' 
 
 " ' Yes, madam, ' I said, ' badly enough in explain- 
 ing myself, but well enough to guess your meaning. ' 
 
 " I purposely emphasized the word ' guess. ' The 
 singer, however, did not appear to understand the 
 threatening import I had given to my reply. She 
 smiled and, stretching out her hand, said : 
 
 " ' Delighted, sir, to make your acquaintance. ' 
 
 "I must acknowledge that at that decisive mo- 
 ment there was very little of L6a Pirelli in Jenny 
 Hawkins. Like time-worn portraits, which show 
 forth only the ill-defined features of the model, the 
 resemblance thinned down and the dead woman dis- 
 appeared, effaced from memory by the living singer. 
 The attitude of the woman before me was not the 
 same as that of the other. The simple gaiety, play- 
 ful childish gestures which characterized the Italian, 
 were replaced in the American by a cold pride, the 
 grave assurance, and the self-contained bearing of 
 the artist, confident in her public as well as in her- 
 self. 
 
 " ' Altho I should like it very much, I shall not 
 keep you here long,' said Jenny Hawkins. ' I must 
 return to the stage for the last act. How do you 
 like Rovelli? He sang well, did he not? What an 
 artist he is ! ' 
 
 " ' His success was no greater than yours, ' I said ; 
 32 
 
A TRAGIC STORY 
 
 ' but I find the composer has allotted to him a 
 greater share than to you. ' 
 
 " ' Yes, ' she said, making a slight bow. ' This role 
 is not the best in my repertoire. If you hear me 
 sing " La Traviata, " you will find I shall please you 
 better. ' 
 
 " ' I do not think so,' I replied boldly. 'It would 
 be very painful for me to see you die on the stage. ' 
 
 " ' Why? ' 
 
 " ' Because the sight would bring back to me very 
 poignant memories. ' 
 
 " She burst out laughing. 
 
 " ' Ah ! All Frenchmen are impressionable and 
 sentimental. What can Verdi's music have in com- 
 mon with your memories of the past? ' 
 
 " ' I will explain, if you like. ' 
 
 " ' It is a pity, but I have no time. ' 
 
 " ' Well, ' interrupted Pector, ' will you take sup- 
 per with us to-night after the performance? ' 
 
 " ' It is very kind of you to ask me, but I shall be 
 too tired. I must take care of my voice. ' 
 
 " ' Well, then, ' I asked, ' will you allow me to call 
 on you to-morrow? ' 
 
 " ' Certainly. I am staying at the Hotel des 
 Etrangers, in the Town Hall square. After four 
 o'clock I shall be free. We will talk over a cup of 
 tea.' 
 
 33 
 
Chapter III 
 A TREATY OF ALLIANCE 
 
 " I MADE no reply, but bowed. Holding out her 
 hand to my companions and to myself, she conducted 
 us to the door, which she carefully closed. Once out 
 of this woman's actual presence, I regained the pow- 
 er to analyze and to understand. If I had not heard 
 my name, and the few words addressed to Jenny 
 Hawkins by the man who was in her company, 
 whilst we were in the salon, I might have given up 
 the thought of any possible relationship between Lea 
 Pirelli and the singer, but those words I could not 
 forget. Who was this man to whom I was known, 
 and who warned her to ' take care ' when I made my 
 appearance? The identity of the two women de- 
 stroyed by the differences in bearing and expression 
 which I had noticed, and by all the material impossi- 
 bilities of time, condition, and nationality, as affirmed 
 by Pector, was reestablished by the sole interven- 
 tion of this unknown man who had pointed me out 
 to Jenny Hawkins evidently as being dangerous. 
 My mind was racked with anguish, and I was de- 
 voured by a burning curiosity. I no longer thought 
 of the singer ; I wanted to know who was this com- 
 panion, this Frenchman who knew me, and who, if 
 
 34 
 
A TREATY OF ALLIANCE 
 
 only I could interview him, would be capable of 
 clearing up everything. 
 
 " On reaching the hall, Pector asked : 
 
 "'Shall we stay?' 
 
 " 'No,' I said. 'I have a slight headache. I have 
 not been at a similar performance for six months. I 
 can not drive the music out of my head, and imagine 
 a turn in the fresh air would do me good. ' 
 
 " 'Well, then, I will send back the carriage and we 
 will return on foot. ' 
 
 " After a very short time we were in the street 
 loitering aimlessly along. Chance bringing us to 
 the Town Hall square, I asked : 
 
 " 'Where is the Hotel des Etrangers? ' 
 
 " 'That large, well-lit fagade, right in front. It is 
 not a seventeen-story hotel like those in New York. 
 We have plenty of room here for building purposes. 
 Will you come in ? There is an excellent restaurant. ' 
 
 " Pector possessed the American mania of strolling 
 into public dwellings and going into the bars to eat 
 a sandwich or drink a cocktail. This just suited my 
 fancy. I had formed the plan of waiting for Jenny 
 Hawkins in front of the hotel door, so as to surprise 
 her and her companion. A presentiment told me 
 she would return in his company, and that there, in 
 a second, I should learn this woman's secret. For, 
 without the slightest doubt, there was one. Follow- 
 ing my two companions into the interior of the hotel, 
 I sat down with them in front of a table loaded with 
 refreshments. After a moment I summoned the 
 waiter. 
 
 " 'What time does the theater close? ' 
 35 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 '"About midnight.' 
 
 '"Thank you.' 
 
 " Pector asked me with a smile : 
 
 " 'Do you want to keep an eye on Jenny Hawkins? ' 
 
 " He seemed to have read my thoughts, and I re- 
 plied : 
 
 " 'Well ! I should like to see how she looks in ordi- 
 nary dress, after seeing her on the stage. ' 
 
 " 'AH right ! We will wait for you. ' 
 
 " As luck would have it, I had obtained the liberty 
 of action I wanted. Now, I had only to be lucky 
 enough to meet the singer as she passed. Liberally 
 tipping the porter, he said : 
 
 '"The lady leaves the carriage under the arch, 
 crosses the porch, and mounts this staircase. Her 
 rooms are on the first floor. She will not be long. ' 
 
 " Raising the collar of my pelisse, I waited under 
 the arch. It was cold that evening, altho we were 
 in April. Smoking a cigar, I walked about and 
 waited. After a few minutes a loud sound of horses 
 pawing the ground and the rolling of wheels told 
 me that the diva's carriage was approaching. The 
 porter sprang forward to help her to descend. The 
 carriage door opened, and Jenny Hawkins, wrapped 
 in furs, stepped lightly on to the footpath. She 
 looked all around, examining me rapidly, but did not 
 recognize me, for my face was almost invisible be- 
 hind my turned-up collar, and, addressing some one 
 in the carriage, she said in French : 
 
 "'Come along! ' 
 
 " As he was preparing to leave the carriage, I took 
 a step forward. Just then I was certain I held the 
 
 36 
 
A TREATY OF ALLIANCE 
 
 key to the mystery. But the man, bending forward 
 his head, saw me and quickly drew back. He said 
 briefly : 
 
 "'Jenny! ' 
 
 " It was the same voice which had spoken in the 
 dressing-room at the theater. The singer, uneasy, 
 drew near the door, leaned inside, then, turning to 
 the coachman, said: 
 
 " 'Union Square. ' 
 
 " Turning on her heels she entered the porch and 
 disappeared; at the same time the carriage left the 
 courtyard. And, without having succeeded in catch- 
 ing a glimpse of its mysterious occupant, I remained 
 alone. 
 
 " Then I returned to where Pector and Raleigh 
 were waiting, and we reached home about half-past 
 twelve. 
 
 "The following morning, at breakfast-time, Pec- 
 tor made his way into the dining-room and re- 
 marked : 
 
 " ' My dear viscount, you certainly have no luck. I 
 have just heard that there will be no performance at 
 the opera to-night. Jenny Hawkins has caught 
 cold, and will not be able to sing. As she is expect- 
 ed the day after to-morrow at Chicago, she will leave 
 at once by the express. Here is a letter addressed 
 to you, doubtless expressing regret at disappointing 
 you.' 
 
 " I opened the envelope. On a visiting-card, the 
 corner of which was stamped with the monogram ' J. 
 H. , ' surrounded by the device ' Nevermore, ' I read 
 as follows : 
 
 37 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " ' I am sorry to be deprived of your visit, which I 
 was looking forward to with great pleasure, dear sir, 
 but artists are not always their own masters. To- 
 day I should not have been able to speak to you, 
 owing to hoarseness of the throat. I am leaving for 
 Chicago and New York, where I shall spend a few 
 days. If chance brings us together again, I shall 
 be very happy to renew your acquaintance. 
 " 'Yours truly, 
 
 "'Jenny Hawkins.' 
 
 "This letter threw me into a reverie. My two 
 companions made wild jests on what they called my 
 sentimentality. They could not suspect the poign- 
 ant anxiety caused me by this sudden departure. 
 All these different incidents, the indisposition — cer- 
 tainly pretended — of the singer, and her determi- 
 nation to escape me, were a confirmation of my sus- 
 picions — almost an avowal. 
 
 " I reflected profoundly on the situation. If L6a 
 Pirelli, by a concatenation of circumstances, inex- 
 plicable to me, was living, after Jacques de Fr^neuse 
 had been condemned for having killed her, it was 
 evident that this mystery acted as a cloak to a mon- 
 strous iniquity. I firmly determined to clear it up, 
 and to repair the harm which had been done to my 
 unhappy friend. But it was not in America, a vast 
 continent in which Jenny Hawkins was leading a 
 roving life, that I could hope to follow up a track, 
 institute an inquiry, and try to establish the truth. 
 There I was alone, without help or resource, quite 
 disarmed. The crime had been committed in 
 
 38 
 
A TREATY OF ALLIANCE 
 
 France. It was in France that the revision of the 
 trial ought to be prosecuted. And the first precau- 
 tion to take — the most elementary one — must consist 
 in breaking off all contact with Jenny Hawkins and 
 her mysterious companion. They must be allowed 
 to recover from their alarm, a complete security 
 must be given them, so that the surprise might be 
 the more complete when a favorable moment ap- 
 peared. And, with this end in view, what was of 
 most importance was that they should hear no fur- 
 ther mention of me. Once I had taken this determi- 
 nation, I firmly kept to it. Crossing America, I 
 embarked at New Orleans and reached Paris three 
 weeks ago. During this time I have been busy in 
 gaining a foothold, renewing relations forgotten 
 owing to an absence of eighteen months, and seek- 
 ing an opportunity to commence hostilities. This 
 opportunity has been furnished me this evening. 
 Now that I have narrated to you my adventure, I 
 ask if you, Marenval, with your great fortune, your 
 taste for whatever is out of the ordinary run of 
 events and the boldness you show, when you like, in 
 combating current opinions, will collaborate with 
 me in restoring an innocent man to freedom and in 
 punishing a guilty one? Besides, my dear friend, it 
 will be no commonplace affair. It will require great 
 maestria to undertake the task, which will not be 
 within the reach of the first comer. And then 
 Jacques is a relative of yours. In the eyes of all 
 Paris you would win a real triumph, if you succeed- 
 ed. Your name will be handed down in the history of 
 this time, a period remarkable for egotism and . 
 
 39 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 At the end of the nineteenth century, when no one 
 hardly believes in anything, any one who wishes may 
 be a justiciary and a redresser of wrongs. And in 
 all conscience, my dear friend, whoever undertakes 
 the task may be sure that he is playing a unique 
 role." 
 
 Marenval had listened to Tragomer with passionate 
 attention. Later on, he acknowledged that he had 
 been more absorbed by the recital than by anything 
 else in his life — that a secret voice had whispered in 
 his ear : " Marenval, this is a glorious adventure, 
 and you will receive the credit for it ! " When Chris- 
 tian had ended, he regained his power of speech, and 
 burst out like a boiler the valves of which had been 
 too tightly compressed: 
 
 " Well, Tragomer, I do not regret the way I have 
 spent my evening! What a tale! You have had a 
 fine inspiration in relating it to me, for I am, in fact, 
 the very man you want. We will maneuver every- 
 thing all right. I am not to be easily caught ; I am 
 accustomed to business, and know human nature. 
 Ah ! Tragomer, your blood must have turned cold, 
 on crossing the Atlantic, whilst thinking over it all. 
 But from this day forth we will put the irons in the 
 fire and hasten matters." 
 
 Christian interrupted his impetuous companion : 
 
 " Prudence above everything : not a single word 
 must be lightly spoken. You have no suspicion of 
 the difficulties we may encounter." 
 
 " What ! Difficulties? But everybody will help us. 
 Justice, public authority, the Government. As soon 
 as we have serious proofs of error, everybody will be 
 
 40 
 
A TREATY OF ALLIANCE 
 
 anxious to see justice wrought. The only delicate 
 part of the matter is the investigation. " 
 
 "Everything is delicate," said Tragomer. "Do 
 not rely on the help of justice. The first thought of 
 the judges will be mistrust, the second a determi- 
 nation to resist our efforts. It is never pleasant to 
 acknowledge oneself mistaken. And justice, by 
 profession, will not admit itself subject to error. 
 You know how much time, work, will, and power 
 has been needed to obtain the rare restorations to 
 justice which have been granted by the magistracy ; 
 almost all have been obtained by policy. We must 
 not attempt to sell the bear's skin until he is killed. 
 We have five trump cards in hand — your immense 
 fortune, and extensive relations ; your firmness and 
 intelligence ; I will add, if you permit me, my deter- 
 mination and my will." 
 
 " Certainly, my dear Christian ! " exclaimed Ma- 
 renval, grasping the young man's hands. " We shall 
 succeed. I promise to be silent and circumspect. 
 You will have no reproach to bring against me." 
 
 " Very good. Listen to me a few minutes longer. 
 I have some additional information to give you. In 
 the first place, Jenny Hawkins is no longer in Amer- 
 ica ; she is en route for England. " 
 
 " For England ! Will she sing there? " 
 
 " Yes, at Covent Garden, London. I have learned 
 this the last few days through the English journals. 
 And, lastly, fortune has been kinder than I had ex- 
 pected, giving me precise information relative to the 
 mysterious personage who accompanied the singer 
 at San Francisco." 
 
 41 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "You know him? " 
 
 " I believe I do. The other evening, at the club, 
 I was playing with some friends at billiards when 
 one of .the players at the table next to ours, while 
 lighting his cigarette at the chandelier near him, 
 overturned the lamp-shade, which caught fire. His 
 partner exclaimed excitedly, ' Prends garde ! ' I start- 
 ed, for I had recognized the voice, the very intona- 
 tion and accent which had struck me in those very 
 same words I had heard in Jenny Hawkins's room at 
 the theater. Turning sharply round I looked at the 
 one who had just spoken. He had seen me turn, 
 and he was also looking at me. Our eyes met, and 
 at the bottom of his I clearly read the thought. He 
 has recognized me. Pretending to smile, he said 
 gaily: 
 
 " 'We must not bum the furniture, must we, Tra- 
 gomer? ' " 
 
 "And this man," interrupted Marenval, "this 
 member of the club, who treated you so familiarly, 
 was — was ? " 
 
 Tragoraer changed countenance. The excitement 
 on his face gave way to a dull pallor, and, bending 
 low his head, he said : 
 
 " It was Count Jean de Sorfege, the intimate friend 
 and companion of Jacques de Fr^neuse at the time 
 when he was free and happy." 
 
 Marenval struck his hands together, whistled soft- 
 ly in a manner which denoted the most complete 
 disappointment, and finally remarked gloomily : 
 
 " Tragomer, that is the very last name I expected 
 to hear. Everything becomes obscure and inexpli- 
 
 42 
 
A TREATY OF ALLIANCE 
 
 cable. How is it possible to suspect Jean de Sorege 
 of having committed the crime? For what reason? 
 Under what pretext? If it is impossible to accuse 
 any one, he is that one. From the very outset we 
 must halt." 
 
 " Do not be so quickly discouraged," replied Chris- 
 tian gravely. "Nothing is impossible — nothing is 
 unlikely. You are thinking of Sorbge's personality, 
 of his capacity as Jacques's friend. The interest he 
 has had in ruining this innocent man is unknown to 
 you as it is to me. But be sure we shall discover 
 the motives which have prompted him. For it is 
 he, you understand, who was at San Francisco ; it is 
 he who is guilty. I will prove it — with difficulty 
 probably, but most unquestionably — I have not the 
 slightest doubt. In order to establish the guilt of an 
 accused person, numerous and evident presumptions 
 are necessary, and in this instance we have not only 
 to prosecute a criminal, we have also to prove the 
 innocence of a condemned man. Accordingly, three 
 times as much certainty is necessary as is required 
 under ordinary circumstances, and this ought to 
 make us the more eager, Marenval. For the more 
 difficult the task the more brilliant the siiccess. 
 Are you still ready to help me? " 
 
 "Yes," said Marenval, "whatever happens! " 
 The Breton looked fixedly at his companion : 
 "Very good! You are the man I thought }'0U 
 were. We shall succeed." 
 
 Taking out his watch, he said : 
 " It is now one o'clock. We have talked enough 
 for this time. Our treaty of alliance is concluded." 
 
 43 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " I give you my word on it. Any expense I take 
 upon myself. And, if there is any danger " 
 
 " I take that upon myself," said Tragomer. 
 
 " Gently! " protested Marenval. ." You do not un- 
 derstand me. We will share in equal parts, and I 
 will risk everything with you on equal terms." 
 
 "Very well!" 
 
 They grasped each other's hand, and, through the 
 inner door, reentered the club. 
 
 44 
 
Chapter IV 
 
 AN IMPORTANT VISIT 
 
 In Paris may be seen clieerful as well as sad-look- 
 ing houses, on whose fagades may be read melan- 
 choly as well as joy ; they appear to be made for the 
 express purpose of sheltering pleasure or pain, the 
 very stones possessing a physiognomy like living be- 
 ings. These houses according as they are attractive 
 or repulsive make one inclined either to inhabit or 
 flee from them. It seems that all the favors of for- 
 tune must fall on those who live in the former, whilst 
 every evil humanity is heir to seems to await those 
 who inhabit the latter. The passer-by, impressed 
 by their gloom, hastens his steps when he comes 
 under the disturbing shadow of these abodes of mis- 
 fortune, and, turning aside his eyes, thinks to him- 
 self: " I would not live in that tomb for the world." 
 On the contrary, when he is in front of one of those 
 smiling, coquettish dwellings he looks lingeringly 
 all around, as tho to become impregnated, so to 
 speak, with the favorable influence, and moves away 
 regretfully, saying to himself: " The people who live 
 here must be very happy. " 
 
 Of all these silent, dismal houses, made for mourn- 
 ing and sadness, there is not one more gloomy and 
 desolate than that situated at No. 47 bis, rue des 
 
 45 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Petits Champs, before the porch of which, on the 
 morning following Christmas Day, Cyprien Maren- 
 val's carriage pulled up. The visitor said to the 
 coachman : " Pierre, walk the horse to and fro for a 
 quarter of an hour, he is too hot. I shall stay here 
 a short time. There is a frightful draft in the 
 street." 
 
 Turning down the collar of his pelisse he entered 
 the courtyard. Ringing the bell, he perceived, after 
 a moment's interval, an old servant hastening up, 
 and the door opened. The domestic, with astonished 
 surprise, took off Marenval's overcoat, remarking in 
 tones of affectionate familiarity : 
 
 " Yes, sir, the ladies are at home ; they will be 
 very pleased to see you, sir, after so long an ab- 
 sence." 
 
 " They are so low-spirited, my poor Giraud. . . . 
 So sad that it is difficult to bring oneself down to 
 their level. So afflicted that one is afraid when try- 
 ing to console them of offending them. ..." 
 
 "Yes, sir, that is true," said the old servant, low- 
 ering his head. " Their grief is inconsolable." 
 
 " But how are they in health? " 
 
 "Oh! they enjoy good health, sir. ... If only 
 their condition of mind were the same. . . . But it 
 is not, sir. No; it is far from satisfactory." 
 
 "Well, well, Giraud, -we must hope on. Who 
 knows? All that may change. " 
 
 " Oh, no, sir, impossible to hope. But, I beg your 
 pardon, I will inform the ladies of your visit." 
 
 Marenval entered a large drawing-room, full of 
 old-fashioned furniture and tapestry. On the walls 
 
 46 
 
AN IMPORTANT VISIT 
 
 hung a few interesting pictures, relics of a remark- 
 able collection, of which successive sales had dis- 
 persed the most precious canvases. 
 
 It was easy to see that the inhabitants were not 
 in the habit of entering this show-room. Nothing 
 was to be found there in the way of objects which 
 might be familiar to two intelligent, active women. 
 Everything was correct and cold. A door opened 
 and the old servant reappeared : 
 
 " If you will kindly follow me, I will take you to 
 Madame." 
 
 Marenval mounted the great stone staircase, with 
 its forged iron rail, and reaching the stair-head of 
 the first floor, on entering a dark passage, a young 
 lady, dressed in black, advanced to meet the visitor. 
 Old Giraud noiselessly slipped away, and Marenval, 
 slightly uneasy, found himself in front of Mademoi- 
 selle de Fr^neuse. With a smile she held out her 
 hand. What an expression of heart-breaking mel- 
 ancholy was depicted on that beautiful face ! Dark 
 circles surrounded her eyes, too often tear-stained. 
 A brow crowned with light-colored, wavy hair, fast- 
 ened behind the head without the slightest suspicion 
 of coquetry, gave an expression of incomparable 
 nobility to her haughty face. Marenval looked for 
 a moment at his beautiful niece, sadly shook his 
 head, and said affectionately : 
 
 " Well, Mademoiselle Marie, still as unreasonable 
 as ever? " 
 
 " Still as unhappy. Monsieur Marenval. " 
 
 " And your mother? " 
 
 " You shall see her at once." 
 47 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Whereupon she led the way into a small apart- 
 ment, a kind of sanctuary in which Madame de 
 Fr6neuse had collected everything in any way asso- 
 ciated with the memory of her son. Portraits, books, 
 sketches, all recalled to her mind the one she had 
 never ceased lamenting, in spite of his faults, and 
 whom she regretted every day of her life. She arose 
 from a low arm-chair, dressed in mourning, her form 
 bent by reason of her trouble, with pale face and 
 silvery hair ; she yet appeared resigned, and thanked 
 Marenval for his visit, like one who did not greatly 
 care to see the tranquillity of her every-day life 
 broken in upon, but yet touched by an action which 
 testified an affectionate memory. 
 
 Marenval, after taking a seat, fixed his eyes on a 
 magnificent portrait representing a tall and elegant 
 young man, of frank and pleasant mien. A bitter 
 smile appeared on Madame de Fr^neuse's lips. After 
 giving him time to contemplate the canvas at his 
 ease, she said in broken tones : 
 
 " That is what he was. What is he now? What 
 have they done to him? For two whole years it has 
 been impossible to obtain his permission to be 
 photographed. . . . He would never consent to our 
 having under our eyes a Jacques with closely shorn 
 hair and beard, and wearing a convict's garb. . . ." 
 
 " Do you hear from him?" 
 
 "Regularly." 
 
 " In what condition is he? " 
 
 " From a material point of view he does not com- 
 plain. He is young and strong, and is, besides, it 
 appears, well treated. . . . Lately he has been en- 
 
 48 
 
AN IMPORTANT VISIT 
 
 trusted with office work, and his existence is less 
 wretched in consequence. But morally. ..." 
 
 " Does he still maintain that he is innocent? " 
 
 At this question the pale face of Madame de 
 Fr6neuse flushed, her eyes flashed forth fire, and in 
 a voice quivering with emotion she exclaimed : 
 
 " He will declare as long as he lives that he has 
 not committed this atrocious crime. He could not 
 have committed it. Never, Marenval, will my 
 daughter and myself cease to affirm it; there has 
 been a frightful array of overwhelming circumstan- 
 tial evidence against Jacques. Men may have been 
 mistaken regarding him, and have condemned him 
 quite sincerely, but both his sister and myself will 
 repeat with our last breath that he is innocent. " 
 
 Marenval looked admiringly at the two ladies, then 
 raising his head he said in firm tones : 
 
 " That is my opinion also. " 
 
 At these words which he now for the first time 
 spoke to the poor mother, Madame de Fr6neuse 
 blushed and said with sudden eagerness : 
 
 "Marenval, what is the meaning of this? You 
 have never before been so categorical. More than 
 that, I accused you of not sharing what has always 
 been our deep conviction. You had always appeared 
 to us more humiliated than astonished at what had 
 happened, and now, all of a sudden, you assume a 
 totally different attitude. Marie, look at him, he is 
 no longer the same man ; he has changed entirely ! 
 Heavens! Can you have some good news to relate? 
 After so great a grief, is it possible th^t we; 
 might. ..." 
 
 4 49 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Do not proceed so fast," interrupted Marenval, 
 rather discontentedly, fearing that he had already 
 said too much. " You were unjust in accusing me 
 of not having had, as you had, faith in Jacques's in- 
 nocence. You know very well that I defended him 
 with all the energy of one whom the world malig- 
 nantly united in the catastrophe which overtook you. 
 Yes, at that time I saw in full what human rascality 
 is capable of. Everything that envy, baseness, or 
 wickedness could invent to defame an honorable 
 personality was attempted against myself. I have 
 suffered from your misfortune as much as yourself, 
 for more than a year I have been designated in 
 Parisian society as Marenval, ' Fr^neuse's cousin. ' 
 Ah ! certain boon companions would have liked to 
 insinuate that I deserved the fate of a convict my- 
 self. And why? Because I am rich, live luxurious- 
 ly, possess a fine hotel, a good hunting-box, superb 
 horses, and a box at the Op6ra. What is there in all 
 this to make them wish to send me to jail? All the 
 same, I have friends who would like to see me there. 
 Just imagine what all these said about me at the 
 time of our misfortune. I did not pose exactly as a 
 hero, my dear cousin, at that perilous hour. Cer- 
 tainly I might have been more chivalrous, stood up 
 more stoutly by your side, but we must take men 
 for what they are. I am slightly a newcomer in the 
 society among which I live. Only ten years have 
 passed since I gave up business. Consequently I do 
 not receive the same consideration as a Montmorency 
 would receive. Men are equal before the law, but 
 not before society, as I have learned to my cost. 
 
 50 
 
AN IMPORTANT VISIT 
 
 This explains much which otherwise would remain 
 inexplicable. I am not afraid of confessing to you, 
 for I am conscious of being so devoted to you that 
 some day you will readily pardon my apparent weak- 
 ness. " 
 
 Madame de Fr^neuse had listened with slightly 
 lowering brow to Marenval's explanations. She 
 half expected to find, in these tardy scruples of her 
 cousin, a reason for that affirmation of Jacques's in- 
 nocence which had so violently stirred her at the 
 outset. But these few final words seemed a kind of 
 return to that conviction, so unlooked for, and the 
 poor woman felt again overtaken with anxiety. 
 
 " Is it simply to make me a profession of faith 
 which touches me very much that you have come to- 
 day? " replied Madame de Fr6neuse. " In that case, 
 I should be very grateful to you for this affectionate 
 proof of friendship. Sympathy is all the more 
 precious because it is so rare. And I thank you 
 with all my heart, Marenval, for not abandoning us. " 
 
 "Abandoning you!" he exclaimed. "Can you 
 have believed me capable of it? I will yet prove to 
 you that I am faithful, brave, and " 
 
 He was stopped by a gesture of Mademoiselle de 
 Fr^neuse. More self-possessed than her mother, 
 she had, from the commencement of the interview, 
 studied the attitude of her relative, and had been 
 struck by the embarrassment he had shown. Be- 
 tween the assurance of the actual and the reserve of 
 the past Marenval there was such a want of accord 
 that a long explanation would be necessary to rec- 
 oncile the two. A more eloquent speaker than the 
 
 51 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 ex-manufacturer would have lost his time in the at- 
 tempt. Luckily for Marenval, however, the daugh- 
 ter, as well as the mother, had retained only the heat 
 of the speech he had just delivered. They had both 
 felt a secret joy, both regained hopes which had long 
 faded away, and Mademoiselle de Fr6neuse summed 
 up the situation in a few words : 
 
 " My dear cousin, formerly you did not believe in 
 my brother's innocence, and now, owing to some 
 reason we can not guess, you believe in it." 
 
 Marenval lifted up his eyes on the two ladies, 
 beaming with delight at being understood, and said : 
 
 " You are right ; I do believe now that Jacques is 
 innocent. But to believe it is not sufficient; we 
 must prove it. It is quite right that we, in a family 
 gathering, should console ourselves with easily 
 spoken words, but we must not forget that a dazzling 
 rehabilitation must be the sole object of our efforts. 
 You must have thought of this, surely? " 
 
 Madame de Frdneuse disconsolately hung down 
 her head. 
 
 " In what way could we think of it? The direst 
 extremity of our misfortune is that we are powerless 
 not only to demonstrate the reality of a fact we be- 
 lieve in as earnestly as we believe in God Himself, 
 but even to discuss the possibility of it. For two 
 years we have remained here, crushed beneath the 
 frightful weight of Jacques's condemnation. Be- 
 sides, if I may dare to confess it to you, Marenval, 
 in order not to doubt my son's innocence, I have 
 been obliged to turn away from an examination of 
 the accusations brought against him, for, to tak$ 
 
 52 
 
AN IMPORTANT VISIT 
 
 them one by one, they were so grave, so terrible, 
 and convincing that I was reduced to an utter denial 
 of the evidence, which was a terrible punishment for 
 me. Accordingly I took refuge in a kind of fanatical 
 negation, which excludes all reasoning, all light on 
 the subject, and which is the cry of a mother's heart. 
 I do not believe in Jacques's culpability, because he 
 is my child, and my child could never have com- 
 mitted the crime he is reproached with. To all 
 arguments and proofs brought against me, I have 
 always replied from the depth of my conscience: 
 He is my son ; he is innocent. But, my dear friend, 
 if I were obliged to demonstrate this innocence, how 
 should I do it? Where should I find the strength of 
 intelligence necessary to break the mass of accumu- 
 lated proof? How should I convince the judges? 
 Jacques's lawyer himself, after his condemnation, 
 Duranty, who defended the poor child with such 
 passionate eloquence, said to me when I questioned 
 him: 
 
 " ' I do not know. When I hear him exclaim that 
 he is not guilty, I believe. When I study the brief, 
 I doubt.'" 
 
 "Ah, my dear cousin, no one can deny that the 
 proofs alleged of his guilt were crushing. I was 
 blinded by them, I must confess, as we are now 
 speaking quite frankly to each other. Long have 
 I believed that poor Jacques, maddened and dis- 
 tracted by the need of money, might in an irre- 
 sponsible moment. . . . Yes, I admitted that he 
 might have been guilty. But ever since yesterday 
 I have entirely changed, and am ardent in affirming 
 
 53 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 your son's innocence as I was previously disposed to 
 take for granted his guilt." 
 
 "Why since yesterday?" asked Mademoiselle de 
 Fr^neuse. " What is this sudden change which has 
 come over you? Who has caused it? Have you 
 become acquainted with some fact such as will throw 
 a new light on the situation? My mother has ac- 
 knowledged that she has wavered in some slight 
 degree. With me, rest assured, it is not so. When 
 everybody abandoned this unhappy child, I remained 
 faithful to his cause. I have sought, I still seek 
 an explanation of what still remains an impenetrable 
 mystery to me. You may therefore speak, as you 
 will find me quite prepared to listen and to under- 
 stand you." 
 
 Marenval looked tenderly at the young girl. 
 
 " Yes, Marie, I know that you took up and main- 
 tained a firm stand, and that you dismissed from your 
 affection all who, under those terrible circumstances, 
 appeared not to share your convictions. Last night, 
 I was in the company of a man who loved you ten- 
 derly, but whom you rejected without the slightest 
 pity." 
 
 The countenance of Mademoiselle de Fr6neuse 
 darkened. She stood upright, appearing taller than 
 was her wont, while a quiver passed over her lips. 
 Tho she did not utter a word, her whole bearing 
 expressed disdain mingled with grief. 
 
 " I am speaking of Christian de Tragomer," added 
 Marenval. 
 
 He stopped, so different from what he expected 
 was the effect produced by this name. 
 
 54 
 
AN IMPORTANT VISIT 
 
 "I guessed you were speaking of Monsieur de 
 Tragomer," said Mademoiselle de Frineuse coldly. 
 " Well, my dear cousin, I should be infinitely obliged 
 to you if you would never speak to me of him. My 
 mother and myself have effaced him from our minds 
 as he had effaced us from his heart. At the very 
 time we needed all our friends he set the example 
 of defection. It is he, I may confess, whose aban- 
 donment during that time of sadness affected us the 
 most. He was my fianc6. He was ashamed of me. 
 I know him no more. " 
 
 " He still loves you," said Marenval eagerly. 
 
 "I am very glad of it," replied Mademoiselle de 
 Fr6neuse forcibly; "and may he suffer in conse- 
 quence." 
 
 She passed her hand over her brow, turned toward 
 her mother, who was listening in silence, and, kneel- 
 ing by her side, said : 
 
 " I beg your pardon. I have turned into another 
 channel the confidential information Monsieur Ma- 
 renval was imparting, and which you were so impa- 
 tiently awaiting. It shall not happen again. " 
 
 " My dear child," said Marenval kindly, " we shall 
 often have an opportunity of seeing each other, for 
 we are about to undertake what may be a long cam- 
 paign. We must not be too hasty with regard to 
 either circumstances or persons. Several matters 
 will be cleared up, several conditions explained. 
 You do not wish me to speak of Tragomer just now. 
 Later on you will ask me yourself, perhaps — who 
 knows? — to bring him to you. When you know 
 what he has already done, and what he is disposed to 
 
 55 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 do to serve you, you will be more indulgent. Know, 
 in any case, that he is the cause of my presence here 
 now. I had no idea of undertaking anything for 
 our unhappy Jacques, I must humbly confess, when 
 Christian overwhelmed me by such unexpected 
 information that it has been impossible for me to 
 remain indifferent. " 
 
 "In Heaven's name, what has he discovered?" 
 asked Madame de Fr^neuse in such a tone of anguish 
 that her daughter took her by the arm to calm her. 
 
 Marenval shook his head with an air of importance. 
 
 " My dear cousin, do not ask me any questions, as 
 I am not free to speak. Possible success will be 
 obtained only at the cost of absolute discretion. One 
 imprudent word might compromise everything. 
 Hope on, fortune has never been so favorable. But 
 be willing to proceed blindly along the path we are 
 about to open out to you." 
 
 " Ah ! If salvation is to be obtained at that price, 
 I consent to any trial you may impose upon me. For 
 two years I have been living in a tomb. Thanks to 
 you, a feeble ray of light is now entering. May 
 Heaven bless you for the consolation you now give 
 me!" 
 
 " If I am not permitted to speak of our newly re- 
 vived hopes, my dear cousin, there are, nevertheless, 
 certain things concerning which I must obtain infor- 
 mation from you. In the interest of our common 
 success, I now ask you to reply to me quite openly. " 
 
 " Question me. My memory is less retentive than 
 formerly, but what I may have forgotten my daugh- 
 ter will certainly be capable of recalling to mind. " 
 
 56 
 
AN IMPORTANT VISIT 
 
 " Amongst your son's friends there was one more 
 intimate than the rest, one who had been brought up 
 with him: Count Jean de Sovhge." 
 
 Madame de Fr6neuse replied eagerly : " Yes, Jean 
 de Sorbge. ... A charming young man, of excel- 
 lent family. I was very fond of his mother, whom 
 he unluckily lost when quite young. ... He had 
 grown up with Jacques. The two children scarcely 
 ever left each other during their childhood. What 
 finally separated them were the fresh relations which 
 did so much harm to my son. " 
 
 " The Count de Sorfege, I suppose, was not one of 
 Jacques's bad companions?" 
 
 "On the contrary, he did all he could to sep- 
 arate him from them; it was through hatred and 
 disgust of these companions that, to my great 
 regret, he abandoned my son, for the influence he 
 had over him could be none other than the very 
 best." 
 
 " Then you would look upon Monsieur de Sorbge 
 as a good companion for Jacques? " 
 
 " The best he could have had. " 
 
 " Was the young man rich? " 
 
 " No. That was the very reason he left my son, 
 as he was not in a position to incur the same ex- 
 penses as Jacques, and would not run into debt to 
 maintain the same style of living. . . . That was 
 the beginning of the downfall. " 
 
 " Pardon me if I insist rather particularly on ques- 
 tions concerning Monsieur de Sorfege, but it is abso- 
 lutely necessary. When 3'our son made the acquain- 
 tance of this wretched woman who brought about his 
 
 57 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 ruin — this L6a Pirelli — was Monsieur de Sorfege still 
 friendly with him? " 
 
 " Certainly. There were even very violent scenes 
 between Monsieur de Sorfege and Jacques regarding 
 this woman. The Count Jean did everything in his 
 power to induce him to break with her. He even 
 wrote telling him that she was unfaithful, and offered 
 to prove his statements." 
 
 " Is this letter still in evidence? " 
 
 " It was given up to the authorities by myself, and 
 is in all probability in the brief. It had been found 
 by our old servant in Jacques's bedroom. The re- 
 sult was a violent quarrel between my son and his 
 friend. They were on the point of deciding it by a 
 duel when mutual friends settled the matter. " 
 
 " Has your son never manifested any feeling of 
 bitterness or hostility against his former friend? 
 Has he never suspected that Sorfege might have had 
 evil intentions? " 
 
 " Not to my knowledge. Still, altho I had per- 
 fect confidence in and sympathy with Monsieur de 
 Sorfege, I must also confess that in my household 
 everybody did not think in the same way. " 
 
 " Who was of a different opinion? " 
 
 " First of all, my daughter, who had an antipathy 
 toward him from the commencement ; then old Gi- 
 raud, my servant, who could never endure him." 
 
 "Ah! Mademoiselle Marie found her brother's 
 friend a suspicious personage? " 
 
 "Do not make me say what I do not think," re- 
 plied Mademoiselle de Fr6neuse eagerly. " Under 
 no pretext would I like to prejudice you against the 
 
 58 
 
AN IMPORTANT VISIT 
 
 Count de Sorfege. His disposition did not please 
 me, that is all." 
 
 " What kind of disposition had he, in your opinion, 
 Mademoiselle Marie? " 
 
 " He showed himself always haughty and fond of 
 raillery, and I can not bear a man of that stamp. 
 He made his calculations with perfect self-posses- 
 sion, and never undertook anything without reckon- 
 ing all the consequences. Above everything, he 
 was practical. The very reverse of poor Jacques, 
 who never reflected, and flung himself into difficul- 
 ties without the least idea how to extricate himself. 
 I blamed the giddiness of the one whilst regretting 
 the excessive precautions of the other. There was 
 excess on both sides, and if my brother appeared to 
 be mad, Monsieur de Sorfege gave me the idea of 
 being too clever. " 
 
 " Even to the extent of trickery? " 
 
 " I can not say, my dear cousin. I am only giving 
 you my impression. I never knew anything of Mon- 
 sieur de Sorfege's conduct in private life except 
 what I heard from my brother, and in my presence 
 he could not speak freely. Accordingly, my impres- 
 sions are not confirmed by facts. But they are very 
 distinct in my mind, and have never changed." 
 
 Marenval looked at Mademoiselle de Fr6neuse and 
 said: 
 
 " This judgment can not be considered an unfavor- 
 able one during the times in which we are living. 
 Too clever a man would appear, justly enough, ex- 
 ceptionally calculated to succeed nowadays. But I 
 see that my cousin is judging Monsieur de Sorfege 
 
 59 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 from a special point of view, that of a gentleman, 
 not a man of business. And that renders her blame 
 perfectly comprehensible. Well, let us sum up. To 
 Madame de Fr^neuse Monsieur de Sorfege was a gen- 
 tleman whom she was sorry to see quarreling with 
 her son. To Mademoiselle de Fr^neuse he was cold- 
 blooded, bent on getting out of a scrape under 
 any circumstance, tho he ruined his friend in the 
 process." 
 
 " But why all these questions? " asked Madame de 
 Fr^neuse. 
 
 " We were to be questioned, my dear mother," said 
 the young girl, " not informed. Let us be patient. " 
 
 Madame de Fr^neuse assumed a smile of resigna- 
 tion and Marenval arose. 
 
 " My dear cousin, " he said in tones of deep affec- 
 tion, " I am leaving you now, but I shall return be- 
 fore long. We shall see each other frequently. 
 That will be necessary, and will not, I hope, dis- 
 please you. I should like to enlighten you on the 
 situation, but, first of all, I must obtain information 
 myself. With your permission I will have a few 
 words with Giraud. " 
 
 60 
 
Chapter V 
 
 AN IMPORTANT WITNESS 
 
 As Marenval shook hands with Madame de Pre- 
 neuse, Marie rang the bell, and, opening the door 
 herself, conducted their unexpected ally through the 
 unfurnished apartments into the vestibule. As the 
 old servant came running up she looked with sted- 
 fast eyes at Marenval and said: 
 
 " Whatever be the issue, my dear cousin, I thank 
 you for the renewed hope you have given us. I shall 
 never forget that you have been the first to share 
 with us the conviction we have always had of my 
 brother's innocence." 
 
 He shook his head and said : 
 
 " That would not be just, for the first one who has 
 shared this conviction with you is not named Maren- 
 val, but Tragomer." 
 
 Mademoiselle de Freneuse frowned, gave a final 
 affectionate wave of the hand, and without a word 
 retraced her steps to her mother. 
 
 Giraud held up his pelisse for Marenval. 
 
 " A moment, my good fellow ; I have a few ques- 
 tions to ask you before I leave. Where shall we be 
 free from any possibility of being disturbed? " 
 
 " If Monsieur will follow me into the small parlor 
 there is no danger of any one coming there. Mari- 
 
 6i 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 ette is in the kitchen, and the maid is on the second 
 floor arranging the linen. I am at your orders, sir. 
 No fear of disturbance. A door-keeper's duty 
 here is a sinecure, for it is as quiet as a tomb. " 
 
 Marenval leaned against the mantelpiece, not car- 
 ing to take a seat whilst this old white-haired servant 
 was on his feet in front of him. The self-made mil- 
 lionaire was very delicate in such matters, and always 
 gentle toward the humble. He said: 
 
 "Giraud, I wish to speak to you of your young 
 master and of one of his friends. There are things 
 well known to servants in a household, and yet quite 
 unsuspected by the parents. I have been question- 
 ing these ladies, now I want to question you also. 
 Give your answers quite frankly, omitting nothing. " 
 
 "Oh, sir, 5'ou may rely upon my relating all I 
 know. I have nothing to fear and nothing to lose. 
 What wrong could I suffer greater than that I had 
 to bear the day I saw Monsieur Jacques taken away? 
 A child I had brought up, a little fellow who climbed 
 on my knees in his childhood days, for whom I went 
 to school every Sunday to bring him home for the 
 day. Ah, sir, the world is full of wickedness, and 
 the best men do not receive the best treatment." 
 
 " Then you, too, were convinced of Monsieur de 
 Fr6neuse's innocence? " 
 
 " Convinced, sir? That is not the word. I would 
 be willing to put my head on the block if he had 
 anything to do with it. One had only to see him 
 from the moment that brute of a policeman put 
 hands on him to be certain that he had done nothing 
 and that he did not even know what they wanted 
 
 62 
 
AN IMPORTANT WITNESS 
 
 with him. If I had obeyed my first impulse, I and 
 Michael, the coachman, would have thrown down 
 the policeman into the cellar, and kept him there 
 until Monsieur Jacques had been set at liberty. Had 
 he been free he would have known how to defend 
 himself, he would have proved that he had not killed 
 the woman. He, sir, kill a woman ! He who would 
 have flung himself into the water to save a drowning 
 dog. Impossible to imagine anything so stupid. 
 Kill this woman ! For what reason? She loved him. 
 To rob her? What was the use? She had given him 
 all she possessed. Oh, she was jealous enough of 
 him. One evening when she had come here to speak 
 to him, she seemed like one demented, so great was 
 her grief. She remained seated in the hall near the 
 large bench for more than half an hour, weeping 
 like a Magdalen. She offered me whatever I would 
 take, her purse, a diamond ring, if only I would per- 
 mit her to enter Monsieur Jacques's room. It was 
 useless for me to say to her, ' He is not at home, 
 Madame ; what advantage would you gain by seeing 
 his room? You might meet one of the ladies — his 
 mother or his sister. What a scandal! No, you 
 must not think of it. ' She burst into sobs and said: 
 'Oh, I would rather kill myself.' Yes, sir, she said 
 that, and I have always been convinced that she did 
 kill herself. I told all this to the examining magis- 
 trate. He merely shrugged his shoulders. That 
 was evidently not his opinion. And as I returned 
 to my guns, explaining my reasons, he very coolly 
 cut me short, stating that he considered me to be 
 making tiresome repetitions. I was doing nothing 
 
 63 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 of the kind, sir, and as true as I am sixty-five years 
 of age without even having injured a living being, 
 Monsieur Jacques did not kill that woman. No, he 
 did not kill her ! " 
 
 Marenval had listened attentively to the old man. 
 He had retained the virtue of patience from his 
 former profession, and never offended any one. He 
 knew what it meant to await the pleasure of the cli- 
 ent, that after much hesitation and feeling one's 
 way a stroke of business is effected. He was on the 
 lookout for some unforeseen detail, some fresh cir- 
 cumstance in old Giraud's passionate recital. All he 
 had just heard he knew already, so he decided to 
 approach the subject he wished to have light thrown 
 upon. 
 
 "What influence, in your opinion, had Jacques's 
 friends and associates upon his character? " 
 
 " Oh, sir, it is very diificult to judge that. Mon- 
 sieur Jacques's conditions of life were very peculiar. 
 He lived with his mother, who was a widow, and 
 there was his sister at home. Accordingly, he could 
 not receive here to any great extent. No one knew 
 what friends he had besides Monsieur de Tragomer 
 and Monsieur de Sorfege. The rest he saw at the 
 club, the theaters, the race-courses, in society, in 
 short. As you know, sir. Monsieur Jacques was very 
 popular. So agreeable and handsome a young fellow 
 was invited everywhere. And he readily accepted 
 whatever gay party or dinner was going. He was 
 full of spirits; in fact, all these mad acts which 
 ended in his ruin he inherited from his father. A ter- 
 rible man, sir, Jacques's father. You knew him well 
 
 64 
 
AN IMPORTANT WITNESS 
 
 the last few years of his life. Ah, sir, Madame had 
 very little happiness during her married life. Had 
 not Mademoiselle Marie, a real saint as she is, re- 
 deemed the faults of the rest by love and tenderness, 
 Madame would certainly have been living the life of 
 a martyr." 
 
 Marenval gently brought him back to the subject. 
 
 " I shall not question you on Monsieur de Trago- 
 mer. He is a man who has concealed nothing from 
 me, and who is worthy in every way. But I should 
 like to know your opinion on Monsieur de Sor^ge." 
 
 Giraud hesitated a moment. But he had promised 
 to say what he thought, and he kept his word. 
 
 " Saving the respect due to a superior, sir, he is a 
 villain." 
 
 "What grounds have you for treating him so 
 harshly? " asked Marenval, rather astonished at such 
 outspoken vehemence. 
 
 " None, sir. I have never seen him commit a 
 faulty action ; never heard him say anything wrong. 
 All the same, it is my firm conviction that he is a 
 villain." 
 
 " Still, Giraud, why are you so severe on this 
 young man, who, as you confess, has never done 
 anything to justify such a judgment? " 
 
 " It is instinctive, sir, I can not discuss it. Just 
 across the street is a tobacco-dealer whose shop I 
 have frequented for ten years for the purpose of 
 buying snuff. I could never accustom myself to his 
 face. He would make overtures to shake hands with 
 me ; I could never do it. Everybody esteemed the 
 man, and he had a good reputation in the neighbor- 
 5 65 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 hood. Well, sir, three months ago he absconded 
 with government money, and dreadful revelations 
 came to light afterward. The whole district was 
 scandalized, no one could reconcile himself to the 
 idea that so apparently honest a man could be such a 
 thorough scoundrel. You may scarcely believe me, 
 sir, but from my point of view Monsieur de Sorfege 
 was the same type of man as the tobacco-dealer. He 
 always showed himself very polite, obliging even 
 toward me, but in his face there was an indescribable 
 expression which repelled me, and causes me to say 
 even now, without the slightest hesitation, that he is 
 a villain, and will some day be recognized as such. " 
 
 " Did he come here often? " 
 
 "Oh, yes, sir. At first rather strange notions 
 presented themselves to me from that very fact. I 
 imagined he intended to marry Mademoiselle Marie. 
 But his attentions in that direction soon changed 
 shape, and he gave way in favor of Monsieur de 
 Tragomer. The truth was, you see, that he saw the 
 family fortune rapidly dwindling. He was suffi- 
 ciently well versed in his friend's acts of folly — per- 
 haps encouraged them too much — to have the faint- 
 est illusion as to the future of these ladies. He had 
 not the least doubt that Jacques had brought them 
 also into financial straits. Altho I believe in his 
 innocence, sir, I have never been blinded, and am 
 perfectly aware that a great deal of blame attaches 
 itself to him. Poor boy ! When the fatal day came, 
 he was sufficiently reproached for all these back- 
 slidings. All his past life weighed heavily, indeed, 
 on him when the time for justification came. Sorbge 
 
 66 
 
AN IMPORTANT WITNESS 
 
 knew that both his mother and sister would give all 
 they had to prevent their good name being com- 
 promised by a disgraceful action. And as poor 
 Jacques had fallen into the hands of sharpers, his 
 fate was easy to guess. Alas, sir, time was not left 
 him to ruin the whole family ! Fate ordained mat- 
 ters otherwise. And yet, for my own part, I am 
 certain his mother and sister would rather be reduced 
 to beggary than see this poor boy in his present 
 position." 
 
 " There is no doubt whatever on that point, Giraud. 
 To return to Monsieur de Sorfege, his relations 
 with Jacques were less frequent toward the end? 
 They saw less of each other? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, here, but in the outside world I do not 
 know. In my opinion, the Count de Sorfege, in 
 spite of his apparently perfect behavior, has been 
 my master's evil genius. He flung him into diffi- 
 culty and embarrassment and gave him very bad 
 advice. Oh, yes! I am quite sure of it, for he was 
 overjoyed at seeing him sink lower and lower. Why 
 it was so I do not know, but he had some reason or 
 other for wishing to effect Jacques's ruin. It is not 
 for a poor servant like myself to divine the thoughts 
 of my superiors. But when one is always receiving 
 orders, attending to the service, one sees and hears 
 a great deal. Then one reflects, puts sentences to- 
 gether, remembers the expression depicted on faces, 
 and finally forms such convictions in one's mind as 
 become invariable. One evening, sir, when this 
 poor boy's affairs were in a terrible pass, Monsieur 
 de Sorege was with him in the smoking-room. I 
 
 67 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 had left the room to bring in the tea, and on my re- 
 turn found them so excited that they paid no at- 
 tention to my presence there. Besides, Monsieur 
 Jacques took very little pains to conceal what he did 
 — he was no hypocrite, like the other. I heard my 
 young master say in passionate tones : ' Yes, this 
 kind of existence is becoming intolerable. I shall 
 leave Paris or blow my brains out. ' Oh, sir, if you 
 had seen Monsieur de Sorfege's face. He pinched 
 his lips as tho in disapproval, but his eyes spar- 
 kled with joy. Yes, contentment fairly leaped from 
 his eyes. And his friend was telling him that he 
 had reached the end ! Oh ! That evening I seemed 
 to feel myself the hatred lurking in his heart. Why 
 did he detest my master? What had Monsieur 
 Jacques done to him? He was so light-hearted, so 
 mad and imprudent that he was quite capable of 
 wounding a friend's feelings, without either wishing 
 or knowing it. I should like to have heard the end 
 of their conversation, but Monsieur Jacques was 
 waiting for me to leave the room before speaking 
 again. He walked to and fro while I arranged the 
 tea service on the table, striding like a tiger up and 
 down the smoking-room. His face was pale as 
 death, his hands clasped tightly together. Oh, sir, 
 that evening something very serious was the matter, 
 for usually Monsieur Jacques did not take things 
 seriously. As I was closing the door Monsieur de 
 Sorfege resumed the conversation and said : ' You are 
 mad, my poor Jacques! You have Lea. Is she not 
 sufficient for you?' Then I had to shut the door 
 without hearing the rest. That occasion was the 
 
 68 
 
AN IMPORTANT WITNESS 
 
 only one in my life when I felt a great inclination to 
 listen at the door, altho such a proceeding would 
 be unworthy of a servant with any self-respect. 
 However, habits of discretion gained the upper hand, 
 and I went away without learning what it would 
 doubtless have been interesting indeed to know, for 
 they were speaking of that Lia. who ruined Monsieur 
 Jacques, so mad was he over her. If I understood 
 aright at the moment, what Monsieur de Sorege 
 meant was that my young master had become in- 
 volved in a new intrigue with another woman. He 
 already had L6a, and was thinking of burdening 
 himself with another. Heavens! Had he not 
 enough with the Italian, through whose fingers 
 money slipped like water, who had turned Jacques 
 into a gambler to profit by his gains and leave him 
 alone to his losses. Ah, sir, she was a wicked 
 woman. And who knows to what extremity such a 
 one will lead a young man who is both weak and 
 vain ! We, sir, know it to our sorrow. " 
 
 "What was Monsieur de Sorfege's attitude at the 
 moment of the catastrophe? " 
 
 " Very correct, sir. " 
 
 " In what way? " 
 
 " Well, sir, he did not appear to be excited. He 
 came immediately and professed himself willing to 
 undertake any service for Madame. He was cold 
 and self-possessed, but his whole bearing smacked 
 of the artificial — there was nothing natural about 
 him. You would have imagined him to be an actor, 
 sir ; but I do not know if I make myself well under- 
 stood or not? " 
 
 69 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "Yes, perfectly." 
 
 " As for Monsieur de Tragomer, he acted almost 
 like a madman; he could not find a word to say, 
 while Monsieur de Maugiron wept like a child. 
 They had all taken leave of their wits, but Monsieur 
 de Sorfege kept a cool head through it all. He asked 
 me for the keys, and made a long search in Jacques's 
 drawers. But a thorough examination had been 
 made by the commissary of police, and there was 
 nothing to glean. It was especially a photograph he 
 seemed desperately anxious to find. He asked me 
 for information about it — a large carte photo in 
 Jacques's cigar-drawer, one which I must have no- 
 ticed. I told him I knew where it was. Monsieur 
 Jacques had taken it out the previous night and 
 placed it in his traveling-case. Scarcely had I time 
 to point it out to him than he sprang across the 
 room, tore open the case, and cut the photo into a 
 score of tiny pieces before I had time to prevent him. 
 But I had no thought of doing so. The photograph 
 of a woman! How rare and precious it would have 
 been when everything was crumbling to ruin, with 
 these ladies half dead, and the journals heaping 
 pages of abuse on my unhappy master ! Since then 
 I have thought of Monsieur de Sorfege's anxiety to 
 destroy the photograph, and been greatly puzzled 
 about it. But I could not understand what his 
 motive was in acting as he did. Perhaps it was in 
 Monsieur Jacques's interest after all. It might, 
 however, have been a personal interest. That I 
 never could discover. After these proofs of sym- 
 pathy to Madame de Fr^neuse at the first. Monsieur 
 
 70 
 
AN IMPORTANT WITNESS 
 
 de Sorfege discontinued his visits by degrees. I do 
 not reproach him for doing so, as the rest did the 
 same. He pleaded my master's cause at the trial 
 with considerable warmth. So far as I could learn 
 — for I was not present the whole time — he did his 
 best to prove him innocent, or to attenuate, at any 
 rate, his responsibility. In short, everybody ap- 
 proved his conduct, and Madame thanked him 
 warmly. Great good may it do him. Since then 
 we have seen nothing more of him, and all this hap- 
 pened two years ago. Living alone and amid such 
 sorrow my poor brain is enfeebled. Doubtless I have 
 forgotten all the circumstances; besides, I can not 
 put my ideas into good order. But what overrules 
 everything, sir, is the fact that Monsieur de Sor^ge 
 was not sincere as a friend ; that he made my mas- 
 ter jealous, and that when he saw he was ruined 
 he only pretended an eagerness to save him be- 
 cause he was absolutely certain he would not 
 succeed." 
 
 The old man ceased speaking. His hands were 
 trembling with emotion, and great tears were cours- 
 ing down his cheeks. He stood there in front of 
 Marenval, who was thinking profoundly. Finally, 
 seeing that the millionaire asked no further ques- 
 tions, he made bold to ask him one. 
 
 " Would you permit me, sir, to ask for what reason 
 you wish to recall this sorrowful past? Assuredly it 
 is not from curiosity, or for the pleasure of stirring 
 up such sad memories. Can it be that you hope to 
 effect a change in the situation, sir? " 
 
 Marenval looked at the old servant with an in- 
 71 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 terest he had never previously manifested, placed 
 his hand on his shoulder and said : 
 
 " One never knows what may happen, my good 
 Giraud. Nothing in this world is certain except 
 death. Your master is alive. They even say he is 
 in good health." 
 
 "Oh, sir, he was so young and vigorous! But 
 grief and repentance wear one out. Then there is 
 the climate? " 
 
 " Not unhealthy at all, Giraud. As for the in- 
 formation I have come to gather here with regard to 
 Monsieur de Sor^ge, it was indispensable to me, as 
 this young man is shortly to be married." 
 
 "Married! Ah, Monsieur de Sorfege to be mar- 
 ried ! I am but a poor man, sir, and Monsieur de 
 Sorfege is a count, with a fortune, relations, and 
 everything. And yet, if I had a daughter, sir, I 
 should prefer to have her die an old maid rather 
 than give her in marriage to such a man." 
 
 Marenval burst into a laugh. 
 
 " Rest assured, I think the matter has fallen 
 through. Many thanks for your confidence in me, 
 Giraud. All you have told me may be of service." 
 
 He put on his fur-lined overcoat, gave the old 
 servant a friendly nod of the head, and left the 
 house. Reaching his carriage, he ordered the coach- 
 man to conduct him to Monsieur de Tragomer's 
 hotel. It was four o'clock. The brougham rolled 
 along to the cadenced trot of the horse, and Maren- 
 val, seated in the corner of the carriage, began to 
 reflect on all the contradictory remarks he had heard 
 respecting the individual who so interested him. 
 
 72 
 
AN IMPORTANT WITNESS 
 
 On the one hand, Madame da Fr^neuse considered 
 Monsieur de Sor^ge as a thorough gentleman who 
 had never exercised any influence other than favor- 
 able over her son. On the other, Mademoiselle 
 Marie declared that her brother's friend had always 
 been displeasing to her ; that she looked upon him 
 as clever and unscrupulous rather than loyal. Then, 
 lastly, the opinion, given by the confidential Giraud, 
 in spite of all the old man's tiresome repetitions, was 
 more serious and really affecting. The latter, as he 
 said, had been well placed for both seeing and judg- 
 ing. If no man is a hero to his valet — a fortiori, 
 there is no apparent wisdom or artificial kindness for 
 the servant who sees and hears everything. 
 
 Giraud had, of necessity, been a faithful observer, 
 both of his master and his master's friends. They 
 had all been thoroughly sifted by him, and the con- 
 viction he had formed was bound to be the one 
 most justified. And besides, how probable were the 
 details he related with regard to Sorfege's relation- 
 ship with Jacques. Given what Marenval already 
 suspected, how many particulars now threw light on 
 the conduct of Jacques's friend! It was not pos- 
 sible to understand yet ; the main lines of the adven- 
 ture were beginning to appear. 
 
 Sorege, there was not the slightest doubt, was im- 
 plicated in the affair. In what way? That was the 
 dark part of it all ; that was the adventure itself. In 
 what had happened two years previously, there had 
 been circumstances difficult to explain, even tho 
 the identity of L^a P6relli had not been contested. 
 But now? Here was something incomprehensible. 
 
 73 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Then all the protests Jacques had uttered, to which 
 no one had paid the slightest attention, returned to 
 Marenval's memory. 
 
 When Jacques had been arrested, he was at Havre. 
 He had never clearly explained why he had gone 
 there. Neither was it known why he had remained 
 there twenty-four hours instead of taking the steamer 
 and embarking for America. For whom was he 
 waiting? The prosecution said: "An accomplice." 
 But what accomplice? It had been impossible to 
 find one. Was it Sorbge? Marenval pondered, but 
 no reasonable answer came. If Sorbge had been an 
 accomplice, then who was the woman found dead in 
 the Rue Marbeuf? For he could not lose sight of 
 the fact that a crime had been committed, and that, 
 if L6a Perelli was living, another had been killed in 
 her stead. 
 
 But what other, and who was the assassin? Here 
 no solution could be found. For if, strictly, one 
 considered the interest Jacques might have had in 
 striking L^a, it was no longer possible to understand 
 why he should have struck another woman. Cyprien, 
 whose inventive faculties were dormant, loyally 
 strove to solve the enigma, but he could find no solu- 
 tion. He was sure there was a mystery, but did 
 not consider himself clever enough to unravel it. 
 
 His practical turn of mind, however, brought be- 
 fore him ail the difficulties he was about to meet 
 with in so light-hearted a fashion and all the worry 
 which might result therefrom. At his age, with 
 everything to make life happy — an immense fortune, 
 good health, agreeable society, and amiable friends 
 
 74 
 
AN IMPORTANT WITNESS 
 
 he was dreaming of flinging himself recklessly into 
 a rehabilitation scheme of a very problematic na- 
 ture, simply because an audacious friend of his had 
 inflamed his imagination and pointed out what a fine 
 role he might play. Was not the fine role, he 
 thought, to live as agreeably as possible and avoid 
 all kinds of complications? Life was easy and 
 smooth, must it be rendered intolerable by a succes- 
 sion of excitement and agitation? Was it not better 
 to drift gently down the stream than to row furiously 
 and to land on banks bristling with ambuscades and 
 perils of every description? 
 
 While these few minutes lasted in which the rea- 
 soning of the man of pleasure gave him such selfish 
 counsel, Marenval was greatly perplexed. He re- 
 garded his destiny with perfect clearness, reasoned 
 before venturing on any enterprise, and, to his great 
 credit, he now decided in favor of the unknown 
 peril, when a single word would have assured him 
 tranquillity for life. A generous impulse won the 
 victory. Jacques's mother and sister, in the soli- 
 tude and hopelessness of their retreat, appeared in 
 his mind, as he had just left them, and at the same 
 time, unhappy Jacques banished thousands of leagues 
 distant, suffering pain and outrage and bowed be- 
 neath the burden of an unmerited shame. 
 
 As tho by enchantment, all his club friends, 
 all his companions in private life, the fine young 
 ladies of the aristocracy, who cast only indifferent 
 regards in his direction, seeming to estimate at a 
 very low price the millionaire dealer he had formerly 
 been ; the ravishing girls who looked upon him as a 
 
 75 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 generous uncle, but without the deference he would 
 have liked to see them give. All appeared to his 
 imagination as in the scene of a play, and all these 
 arbiters of success and fame seemed to direct their 
 looks toward him as tho to ask : 
 
 " What will he decide to do? Will he undertake 
 the cause of the oppressed, or will he sacrifice inno- 
 cence to his idleness? Shall we have the opportunity 
 of including him in the list of those personalities 
 who attract attention as soon as they appear any- 
 where, or shall we continue to treat him as an up- 
 start. In short, shall we look upon him as a hero or 
 a coward? " 
 
 Before this question Marenval started, the blood 
 rushed to his face, he pressed his hands tightly to- 
 gether and said aloud, as tho replying to all these 
 inquisitive, railing, or benevolent persons who were 
 watching to judge him without appeal : 
 
 " I have been ridiculed and scorned ; well, they 
 shall see what Marenval is capable of. Whatever 
 comes of it, I will go to the bottom of this affair and 
 throw light into it, exactly as I would into a business 
 account." 
 
 The carriage halted at that moment. He thought : 
 There is no drawing back now. I have given my 
 word to myself. We will see what Tragomer will 
 think of the news I am bringing him. Whereupon 
 he alighted from the brougham. 
 
 76 
 
Chapter VI 
 
 BEHIND A MASK 
 
 Marenval's ally, on his side, had not been inactive. 
 Since his return from his trip round the world he had 
 been fully occupied by the cares and worries of a re- 
 instalment in the capital. A rich young bachelor of 
 good family and a member of the principal clubs 
 does not camp in Paris like a stranger who passes 
 there only six months at a time. A suite of rooms 
 had to be found, arranged to suit his taste, furniture 
 provided, horses brought, and servants engaged. 
 
 Tragomer the last few weeks had lived anyhow, 
 settling business matters, eating at the club, visiting 
 his relations and a few intimate friends. The dinner 
 party at which he had met Marenval was his first 
 appearance in Parisian society. He had been taken 
 there by Maugiron, and had no suspicion of the 
 strange consequences of the feast at which he had 
 assisted in quite an unpremeditated fashion. 
 
 But the Breton nobleman, calm and tenacious, 
 from the moment he had come to an agreement with 
 Marenval had had only one aim in view : to succeed 
 in the enterprise proposed. The very next morning 
 he had entered on the campaign. For two years he 
 had heard nothing of Sorege. Their intimacy had 
 ceased quite naturally after the condemnation of 
 
 77 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Frdneuse, since Jacques had been the bond which 
 united them to one another. He had seen the count 
 apparently greatly affected at their friend's misfor- 
 tune, bewailing the folly which had led him to this 
 catastrophe, defending him with generous warmth 
 against the condemnation of the indifferent. Then 
 he had left Paris and France, and he had lost all 
 trace of Sorfege. 
 
 At the club they met, exchanged the usual greet- 
 ings, and separated in opposite directions. An icy 
 coldness existed between these two men, who had for 
 years lived side by side on the most familiar terms, 
 and yet now could scarcely speak to each other, 
 as tho inspired by a mutual hate. Still, Tragomer 
 had no hostile feelings against Sorege. He had 
 never liked him, even when they were Jacques's 
 companions. The open, frank nature of the one 
 had no sympathy with the cold, calculating tem- 
 perament of the other. Sorege had always been 
 very reserved with Tragomer, and when the latter 
 mentioned this fact to their mutual friend, Jacques 
 replied with a smile : 
 
 " Never mind, you must take Jean as he is, you 
 will not change him. He is a diplomat, and never 
 says what he thinks." 
 
 It was this very fact that Sorege never spoke with 
 frankness that occasioned Tragomer's coolness to- 
 ward him. Often had he said to Freneuse, who re- 
 proached him for holding himself aloof: 
 
 " Well ! I can not help it. It is impossible for me 
 to be at ease with him. I always imagine I am in 
 the presence of some one wearing a mask. " 
 
 78 
 
BEHIND A MASK 
 
 " Then you have at hand a companion ready found 
 for the opera ball ! " Jacques replied gaily, jesting 
 about everything, and never having any leisure to 
 observe the character of his companions. 
 
 All the same, it was impossible not to render jus- 
 tice to Sorfege, and Tragomer was obliged to 
 acknowledge that Jacques's friend was thoroughly 
 well bred, of agreeable appearance, very brave, as 
 he had proved on different occasions, and trust- 
 worthy in counsel whenever he was consulted on a 
 difficult matter. He was close on thirty years of 
 age, was of average height, auburn hair and beard, 
 and eyes well covered by the lids giving a close kind 
 of aspect to his appearance. Whenever he re- 
 mained silent, with veiled look gliding imperceptibly 
 between the lids, it was impossible to guess his 
 thoughts. 
 
 Tragomer found him just as he had left him, after 
 two years' absence, with the same calm and collected 
 countenance, the same precise and reserved lan- 
 guage. He wondered whom he might ask for in- 
 formation concerning the person suspected without 
 fear of arousing curiosity or provoking indiscretion. 
 Maugiron, he concluded, was the very man, one of 
 those Parisian ferrets who intrude themselves in 
 everywhere, know everything, and guess the rest. 
 
 A companion from childhood, standing on no kind 
 of ceremony with him, and sure of a hearty wel- 
 come, Tragomer set out about half-past eleven 
 o'clock from his rooms in the Rue Rembrandt and 
 walked to the Boulevard Malesherbes, where Mau- 
 giron lived, almost at the corner of the Madeleine 
 
 79 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Square. It was the latter's invariable custom to 
 lunch at home. 
 
 " If, even amid the greatest gastronomic excesses, 
 you desire to keep yourself in good condition, lunch 
 every morning at home. There you will eat mod- 
 erately, audit is that which will save you." Such 
 was his theory. 
 
 Altho resolved never to depart from this rule, 
 still he did not go so far as to advocate lunching 
 alone. He was always at home at noon, and almost 
 every day the bell would ring and a man's or 
 woman's voice would be heard saying: 
 
 "Good morning, Maugiron, I have come to eat 
 moderately with you! " 
 
 Then the wise hygienist would order the best wine 
 to be brought up from the cellar, and, as tho by 
 chance, a delicate and plentiful m6nu appeared, to 
 which his guest and himself did due honor. That 
 was what he called " keeping himself in good condi- 
 tion. " This morning Mariette de Fontenoy, enter- 
 ing with Laurence Margillier, saw Tragomer smo- 
 king a cigarette in Maugiron's study. 
 
 " Where is the master? " said Laurence, flinging 
 her hat on to the divan and giving Tragomer a 
 kiss. 
 
 " He is putting a flower in his coat. Well, Mari- 
 ette, is that all you have to say to me? Your friend, 
 you notice, is more expansive than yourself. " 
 
 " Oh ! she forms part of the house, and does the 
 honors. Still, my dear Christian, if a kiss will sat- 
 isfy you," said the beautiful girl, " I have always the 
 wherewithal to give you pleasure. " 
 
 80 
 
BEHIND A MASK 
 
 She flung her arms round the Breton's neck, then 
 turning round on her heels : 
 
 " How hungry I am! " she exclaimed. 
 
 " Come along, then, my children ; lunch is served ! " 
 exclaimed Maugiron, entering the room. " The but- 
 tered eggs and truffles have just come. We must eat 
 them hot." Thereupon they passed into the dining- 
 room, where the taste for luxury of the Sybaritic 
 host was revealed by the fine crystal and porcelain, 
 and the rich plate of which the service was com- 
 posed. 
 
 8i 
 
Chapter VII 
 A BATTLE OF WITS 
 
 "Good morning," said Laurence, "I hope you 
 slept well after last night's disturbance. You were 
 beautifully tipsy after dinner." 
 
 "I? " said Maugiron. " I was as fresh as a rose. 
 It was Tragomer who launched forth. What tales 
 he told us, the monster! " 
 
 " Ah ! Told us, indeed. He took Marenval into 
 his confidence. As for the rest of us " 
 
 " Do not speak for us ; we finished the evening at 
 the Olympia. La Rustigieri danced with her throat 
 and sang with her feet. Evviva 1' Italia! I have 
 hardly stopped laughing at it yet." 
 
 "Give us back Loie Fuller." 
 
 " No, no. It hurts one's eyes to watch her." 
 
 A brief interval of silence followed. They were 
 tasting a bottle of Chateau Yquem, to which Mau- 
 giron had called the attention of his guests, and which 
 they fully appreciated. Tragomer, who generally 
 drank water, said to the host : 
 
 "Your cider is pretty good. By the by, I met 
 Sorfege yesterday ; he seemed to have a very grave 
 expression on his face. Has anything wrong hap- 
 pened? " 
 
 8a 
 
A BATTLE OF WITS 
 
 "You may well ask that; he is about to marry." 
 
 A general exclamation of surprise followed. 
 
 " What is the use of ridiculing marriage nowadays? 
 You must take care, Maugiron." 
 
 " Marriage, " said Mariette, " is an institution which 
 ought to be carefully maintained. In the first place, 
 because but for it there would be a dreadful num- 
 ber of bachelors ; in the second place, because spend- 
 thrifts of good family would otherwise have no means 
 of restoring their ruined fortunes ; and, finally, be- 
 cause the young ladies of America would lose a 
 serious opening for their market." 
 
 " Mariette is a wonderful girl. Why do you not 
 write to the Vie Parisienne f " 
 
 " I pity the editor too much. " 
 
 " So Sorege is to be married? " resumed Tragomer, 
 who did not wish the conversation to drift away into 
 other channels. 
 
 " There has been a rumor abroad to that effect for 
 some time." 
 
 " And who is the lady? " 
 
 " One of those American girls with whom Mariette 
 is so justly preoccupied, Miss Maud Harvey, of Min- 
 neapolis. The father is a great cattle-breeder who 
 has made an immense fortune ; his sons are follow- 
 ing in his steps." 
 
 " But Julius Harvey lives in Paris. It is he who 
 built that fine hotel in the Avenue du Bois de Bou- 
 logne." 
 
 " He can well afford it. In the American jour- 
 nals his fortune is spoken of as one of the greatest 
 in the New World. " 
 
 83 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " And Miss Harvey, what is she like? " 
 
 "Small and dark-complexioned. There is Mexi- 
 can blood in the race. It is said that the mother was 
 a half-breed. She stays at Minneapolis ; never comes 
 to Paris. As for the young girl, she is rather eccen- 
 tric. The cool-headed Sorbge will have his work cut 
 out for him." 
 
 "When was this marriage decided on? " 
 
 " Oh ! negotiations were commenced long ago, but 
 they are dragging somewhat. Jean has been ma- 
 neuvering round that dark little pony for more than 
 six months. But she appears difficult to bridle. 
 A journey to America was necessary to bring mat- 
 ters to a head. " 
 
 " A journey to America? " 
 
 " Yes, her father took Sorege to see his property 
 last year. He said to him, ' Come and see my cat- 
 tle,' and Jean took the steamer with the young 
 lady." 
 
 Tragomer did not continue his investigations any 
 further. He knew the important point ; Sorfege had 
 been to America. That was the main thing. At the 
 very moment he imagined he had recognized the 
 voice in Jenny Hawkins's room at San Francisco So- 
 rhge was in America ; accordingly, his presence be- 
 came likely, and all the conjectures resulting there- 
 from received a sudden strengthening power. All 
 Tragomer had hoped for was being realized. The 
 suspicions he had conceived were no longer whimsi- 
 cal; they were based on a real foundation. Sorfege 
 was present in America ; accordingly, there could be 
 no plea of an alibi. That America was immense 
 
 84 
 
A BATTLE OF WITS 
 
 availed nothing. It was sufficient for Tragomer 
 that Sor^ge had crossed the Atlantic for the certainty 
 of his being the mysterious individual at San Fran- 
 cisco to be indisputable. There was no other French- 
 man who could have pronounced his name under 
 similar circumstances. 
 
 There, however, Christian's deduction chain 
 ceased. The fact that Sorfege had passed through 
 San Francisco at the same period as himself, that he 
 had been surprised by him speaking to Jenny Haw- 
 kins did not prove him a criminal. And yet, sup- 
 pose Jenny Hawkins were L^a Pirelli? At that 
 point, Tragomer found himself in front of a deep 
 abyss which he tried to fathom in vain. He tried to 
 guess the depth of the abyss, the horrors it con- 
 cealed, but he could distinguish nothing. Dense 
 black mists utterly impenetrable filled it. 
 
 He reflected : " This task is only a matter of time. 
 Shall I pretend, from the very outset, to throw light 
 on so difficult and complicated a problem, one on 
 which men of good faith, competent and wise judges, 
 have already tried their skill, without finding a true 
 solution to it? If Sor^ge is guilty, if he is an accom- 
 plice, if he is merely in possession of the truth and 
 has allowed it to be so outrageously warped, he must 
 have had some grave interest in doing so. Besides, 
 such a perfect master of himself as he is, clever and 
 calculating, par excellence, must have taken every 
 precaution against a surprise. It will accordingly 
 be extremely difficult to unmask him. But he went 
 to America, passed through San Francisco, and 
 showed himself exceedingly anxious, not perhaps to 
 
 85 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 escape recognition by myself, but not to be seen in 
 the company of Jenny Hawkins. Accordingly it is 
 this woman who holds the key to the secret of which 
 we have a presentiment." These reflections of his 
 were broken in upon by the guests. 
 
 "Well, has the news of Sorfege's marriage thrown 
 you into a gloomy mood? You have not a word to 
 say. " 
 
 " My dear Christian, no one wished to pain you." 
 
 "You like Sorfege so well as that? " 
 
 " All the same, he is not a very sympathetic char- 
 acter. " 
 
 " He's very handsome." 
 
 " Of a cold kind of beauty." 
 
 Tragomer continued: 
 
 " Do you know if he had any mistresses? " 
 
 " Oh, he was not one to choose from our set, " said 
 Laurence ; " his liaisons were discreet and economi- 
 cal. He always gave me the impression of being 
 terribly mean." 
 
 " What ! Do you think those in society are not as 
 expensive as the demi-monde? " exclaimed Mariette. 
 "Ask Maugiron how much it cost him at Doucet's 
 and Worth's when honored with the favors of the 
 beautiful Madame de " 
 
 "No names, please," interrupted Maugiron. 
 
 " Ah ! As tho all Paris did not know the whole 
 matter. It was useless to conceal things, my poor 
 friend ; you deceived no one — the husband still less 
 than any other." 
 
 " Well, no more on the subject, at all events. " 
 
 They arose from the table. The two couples 
 86 
 
A BATTLE OP WITS 
 
 passed into the salon, where, as three o'clock was 
 striking, Tragomer took leave of the rest, intending 
 to return home and wait for Marenval. They had 
 appointed a rendezvous to compare notes. Each 
 one was to return from his hunt after news and in- 
 form his companion of the result. Tragomer was 
 just finishing dressing before going to dine at the 
 club when Marenval, on his way from the abode of 
 Madame de Fr^neuse, reached the Rue Rembrandt. 
 The millionaire looked very serious and preoccu- 
 pied. 
 
 "Well," said Christian, "you are punctual to the 
 minute. Has your determination not wavered since 
 yesterday? Are you still resolved to continue in 
 this matter? " 
 
 " More than ever. What I have seen and heard at 
 Madame de Fr^neuse's will certainly not discourage 
 me. These two women, my friend, are wonder- 
 fully patient and courageous. They have no doubt 
 whatever on the subject. Ah! my intervention 
 caused them keen joy. They have not been spoiled, 
 poor creatures, tho they have been cruelly abandoned 
 by everybody." 
 
 Tragomer waved his hand in protest. 
 
 "Oh! I do notjSpeak for you, my friend," said 
 Marenval kindly, "but for myself. I know you 
 have been put aside, so to speak, by Mademoiselle 
 de Fr^neuse. But I had not been dismissed. I had 
 gone from them of my own accord, and it was any- 
 thing but gallant to act in that way. A cavalier 
 would have acted otherwise, but I was not one. I 
 was a millionaire, just escaped from business mat- 
 
 87 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 ters, and timid regarding near relations. I have 
 repented of my conduct, and wish to atone for it. 
 . . . Thanks to your help, I shall succeed, and then 
 we shall see if any one will dare to blame me. " 
 
 Christian had listened to Marenval with evident 
 impatience. One question was burning his lips. 
 
 " Did Mademoiselle de Fr6neuse speak of me? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " In what terms? " 
 
 " Listen to me, Tragomer, we are not here to 
 stand on ceremony with each other, but to speak 
 the truth openly. Well, Marie is severe against 
 you. ' He has abandoned us, my mother and myself. 
 I have effaced him from my memory, and he has 
 effaced me from his heart.' Those are the very 
 words she uttered in response to the assurances 
 of devotion and affection I gave her on your be- 
 half." 
 
 Christian sadly bowed down his head. 
 
 " Perhaps she is not altogether wrong to treat me 
 so harshly," he said, "but she lacks mercy. In the 
 paroxysm of her grief, she shut herself up in her 
 room, refusing to see even those who wished to re- 
 main faithful. In this way she made it easy to 
 abandon her. From her point of view, I ought 
 never to have been so weak, I should have sum- 
 moned up energy from her desire to resist evil for- 
 tune. We should have encouraged each other. 
 But her wild passion of grief caused her from the 
 very first to irrevocably condemn those who did not 
 loudly proclaim in favor of her brother. I humbly 
 confess that I did not possess that fine disdain of 
 
 88 
 
A BATTLE OF WITS 
 
 public opinion, still, if she were willing to reflect, 
 she would understand what extenuating circum- 
 stances there are." 
 
 " Her mother takes up your cause, she excuses 
 you. . . . This poor lady — herself, frightful to relate 
 — confesses that, tho convinced of her son's in- 
 nocence, she finds herself unable to maintain it. 
 How can one help, therefore, pardoning strangers 
 for a slight hesitation? Especially when they offer 
 themselves to try and atone for their fault." 
 
 Christian sadly shook his head, and, changing the 
 conversation, said: 
 
 " So they are as firm as ever in their convictions? " 
 
 " Yes, only they know nothing about our man, or 
 so little that it is not worth while speaking of it. 
 Moral impressions, nothing more ; I might as well 
 say that I have come away as I went. " 
 
 " For my part, I have received precise informa- 
 tion. I have learned that Sorfege is betrothed to 
 Miss Maud Harvey, and that he has been in Amer- 
 ica." 
 
 " Ah ! that is where he disappeared for six months. 
 What mysteries he makes about trifles ! So he is to 
 marry the little Harvey? A fine fortune! The 
 father is worth forty million dollars at the lowest 
 estimate. But there are at least six children, and 
 the sons are always favored in America. No mat- 
 ter, it is an immense fortune. But how do you rec- 
 oncile these matrimonial projects of Sorfege with 
 his relations toward Jenny Hawkins? " 
 
 " I do not reconcile them ; I simply state facts, and 
 study them. A liaison with Jenny Hawkins does 
 
 89 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 not exclude a project of marriage with Miss Harvey, 
 quite the contrary. If the mistress wants money she 
 ought to encourage Sor^ge to marry a rich heiress. 
 If the marriage is one way of masking whatever peril 
 there may be in the existing relations between Sorfege 
 and the prima-donna, it is admissible that Jenny 
 Hawkins, especially if she intends to keep her lover, 
 will support them. Finally, if Sorege has formed 
 the plan of expatriating himself and going to live in 
 New York, for instance, to shelter himself from all 
 possible investigations, then the marriage is fully 
 explained. " 
 
 " That is true," said Marenval. " If only we could 
 find out exactly who Jenny Hawkins is. Sorfege is 
 the only man capable of enlightening us, and he will 
 take good care not to do so. Or else •" 
 
 "Or else, Jacques de Fr6neuse. " 
 
 Marenval gave a slight whistle, as was his wont 
 whenever he wished to express his doubts : 
 
 " Yes, but then he is far away." 
 
 " Nonsense ! " said Tragomer. " Three weeks in a 
 good seaworthy vessel would bring us within reach 
 of him." 
 
 Marenval started: 
 
 " What ! Were you thinking of going to New Cal- 
 edonia? " 
 
 The Breton looked calmly at Cyprien : 
 
 " Why not? If necessary. " 
 
 The millionaire glanced with terrified gaze at his 
 ally. He thought : " Good heavens ! What kind of 
 an enterprise is this I am now embarked on? This 
 Tragomer is a terrible fellow who will yield to noth 
 
 90 
 
A BATTLE OF WITS 
 
 ing. He talks of going to Noumea as he would of 
 taking the train for Marseilles. 
 
 " He sojourns to the Antipodes with an unheard-of 
 assurance. No sooner is he back than off he goes 
 again. But I, Marenval, retired from business, 
 bent on enjoying life, should I not be a madman to 
 think of such a thing? " 
 
 Christian left him no time to draw conclusions : 
 
 " It would be a unique opportunity for you, my 
 dear friend, to appear under a decidedly sporting 
 attitude by skilfully masking by means of this pleas- 
 ure trip the really serious causes of our crusade. 
 Just consider, Marenval, how easily the Vanderbilts 
 cross from America to France, and is not Gordon 
 Bennett with the Namouna oftener at Nice than at 
 Newport? I will not drive you to the purchase of an 
 island at the mouth of the Saint Lawrence like your 
 competitor, who makes such good use of his money. 
 All you would have to do would be to give out, in 
 careless fashion, that you are shortly to set out with 
 me for an expedition to Alaska, for instance. You 
 would soon see the effect ! The journals would ob- 
 tain possession of the news which would be skilfully 
 puffed, and you would be quite a hero, for a week at 
 any rate. Henceforth you would be included in the 
 list of those sportsmen for whom distance does not 
 exist, who command the sea, and who are, after all, 
 the real princes under our bourgeois system. Is the 
 prospect not a pleasing one? Have you not, strong 
 and vigorous as you are, enough courage to under- 
 take such a trip? " 
 
 Marenval, slightly startled, had passed through 
 91 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 several contradictory emotions as Tragomer was 
 developing the plan. At first he had felt unhinged 
 at the idea of a prolonged sojourn on a ship. The 
 uncertainty of the winds, the tossing of the waves, 
 inspired in him a prudent fright. He shuddered at 
 the thought that he would have to sleep at night- 
 time in a narrow cabin, against the walls of which 
 the waves would he continually dashing, threat- 
 ening to stave in the timbers. What sleep would 
 yield to such emotions as these? But then he had 
 had his vanity flattered by seeing himself placed in 
 the rank of the great modern rulers who conquer 
 material difficulties by the power of gold. After all, 
 would he not try to do what others did? Was it so 
 very adventurous to follow their example? Was not 
 his fear of the same kind as that of the simple-minded 
 tradespeople who used to make their wills before un- 
 dertaking a railway journey? Progress had sim- 
 plified and facilitated everything, made everything 
 pleasant. Sea voyages were pleasure parties re- 
 served for millionaires alone. Those just mentioned 
 by Tragomer among these hosts of the sea were 
 well known for their taste for luxury and comfort. 
 They did not suffer during their frequent voyages ; 
 they certainly did not spend so much money to pro- 
 cure themselves anything disagreeable or painful. 
 
 In short, there was no denying that their names 
 were in every one's mouth, and the king of sports, 
 the most costly, rare, and brilliant, was yachting. 
 Then why should not he, Marenval, take rank among 
 the ten or a dozen sovereign masters of the ocean? 
 Had he not the means in abundance? It was not 
 
 92 
 
A BATTLE OF WITS 
 
 sufficiently well known how rich he was. This time 
 however, there could be no doubt left that his for- 
 tune was equal to that of the greatest, if he were 
 seen to fling money about with lavish hands in this 
 waj". 
 
 A return of fear, however, came to his mind. He 
 had never traveled on sea farther than from Havre 
 to Trouville, and from Calais to Dover. He had 
 even then had time to be very sea-sick. Still, in his 
 present feverish condition, he had no recollection of 
 this inconvenience. Then there was the acquisition 
 of a vessel, its organization, the choice of captain 
 and crew. What insurmountable difficulties for him ! 
 He mused vaguely, " It is too difficult ; it will be im- 
 possible of realization," and a delicious feeling of 
 relief returned. He looked at Tragomer with an 
 attempt at a laugh. 
 
 " My dear friend," said he, " you do not know what 
 obstacles are in the way of your project. A vessel 
 is necessary for voyaging, and vessels take a consid- 
 erable time to build." 
 
 "Pooh!" said the Breton. "One may hire as 
 many as one wishes. The Solent ports are full of 
 excellent yachts at the disposal of any one. If you 
 will take up this matter seriously, in a fortnight's 
 time you will find a steam-yacht in fine condition, a 
 good sailer, with a well -chosen crew and a reliable 
 captain. It is an English industry. Yachts are 
 hired on the other side of the Channel like country 
 residences. There is plenty of choice." 
 
 "Ah!" said Marenval, quivering. "Is it so sim- 
 ple as that? " 
 
 93 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Everything is simple if one has money. In the 
 material order of things there are scarcely any lim- 
 its. It is only in the moral order that we are obliged 
 to halt. There are still consciences not to be bought, 
 loyalty beyond price, and virtue not to be bribed by 
 any gold. This, be it said, to the honor of humanity. 
 For the rest, jingle your money in a certain manner, 
 and you may have what you like. But we must not 
 be in so great a hurry, my dear friend; we have still 
 a great deal to do here, even admitting we have no 
 need to undertake the voyage. For the present, we 
 must push forward all preliminary investigations. I 
 intend to see Sorfege and speak to him. " 
 
 " What? Are you going to unmask our batteries? " 
 
 " Believe me, they are unmasked ; so what I intend 
 to find out is how our man proposes to defend him- 
 self. Oh ! I will proceed carefully, you may be sure. 
 But it is absolutely necessary that I see what game 
 he intends to play." 
 
 " And what shall Ido?" 
 
 " You might try to find out something concerning 
 Jenny Hawkins — what is her origin, and what she is 
 doing. Perhaps it would be useful to consult a mag- 
 istrate of high standing on the possibility of a legal 
 error. Do you know the Attorney-General? " 
 
 " No, but a nephew of mine, Pierre de Vesin, is a 
 lawyer. He has a fair reputation, and is capable of 
 giving us good counsel. I knew him as a boy, when 
 he was very fond of me. Shall I go and see him? " 
 
 " Certainly. " 
 
 After a moment's hesitation Marenval asked: 
 
 " Then you are content with me? " 
 94 
 
A BATTLE OF WITS 
 
 "You simply astonish me. I should not have 
 believed you capable of such endurance. I have 
 been saying to myself, Marenval has taken fire at 
 once, because he has a generous nature. Because 
 an unfortunate man is suffering unjustly, he sets out 
 on a campaign for the restoration of rights, but the 
 fever will soon be spent. At the initial difficulties 
 he will rebel and leave me to continue my task all 
 alone. For I am determined to continue in any 
 case. I am stubborn, and can not endure that an 
 enterprise commenced should remain unfinished, 
 unless it is proved to be impossible to pursue. But 
 you have not drawn back ; you accept whatever may 
 happen with a calm air of resolution." 
 
 Marenval bowed his head : 
 
 " Do not esteem me so highly. I must confess 
 that, at bottom, I have hesitated very much. I am 
 not rash or foolhardy by nature ; it is only by dint of 
 will-power that I shall bring myself to the level of 
 the position I am about to occupy. If there are risks 
 to be run do not be astonished if you see me tremble 
 somewhat. It will simply be nature manifesting 
 itself. Still, I hope to succeed in curbing my timid- 
 ity by the force of reasoning. As you have just said, 
 an unfortunate man is suffering unjustly, and if I did 
 not do everything in my power to save him I should 
 never be able to enjoy a single hour's peace of mind 
 all my life long. I am very glad I have told you of 
 my weakness. If necessary you will help me to 
 overcome it, and, with the help of God, we will not 
 rest till we have succeeded in our mission." 
 
 Tragomer made no reply ; he was greatly moved. 
 95 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 He said to himself : " Here is one of the most cour- 
 ageous men I know. He knows he is afraid and yet 
 he continues all the same. " He did not wish to tell 
 Marenval what he thought of him ; he was afraid of 
 terrifying him if he gave him to understand how 
 worthy of esteem he held him. Holding out his 
 hand he said : 
 
 " Well, my dear friend, we must separate now until 
 this evening, when I shall see you at the club if you 
 have nothing special to do. We will then arrange 
 matters for to-morrow. " 
 
 " Very good. But I see you are dressed. Shall I 
 drive you anywhere in particular? " 
 
 " Many thanks. I am going to the Madeleine." 
 
 They started, well pleased with each other; Ma- 
 renval, because he felt his self-esteem increase ; Tra- 
 gomer, because he had conceived the hope of finally 
 being restored to Mademoiselle de Fr^neuse's good 
 graces. 
 
 Sorfege was at the club when Tragomer entered 
 the salon about seven o'clock. Leaning against the 
 mantelpiece the count was chatting to a group of 
 friends, his physiognomy cold and close, so perfectly 
 masking his impressions. He spoke, with eyes half- 
 closed, nothing to indicate his inmost thoughts. His 
 face was that of a diplomat, the lines cunning, such 
 as might also indicate the features of a traitor. Tra- 
 gomer did not approach the group, neither did Sorfege 
 make any movement in his direction. These two 
 men had known each other for twenty years ; they 
 had lived near each other in complete intimacy. 
 One might have said they were two enemies. 
 
 96 
 
A BATTLE OF WITS 
 
 Tragomer took up an illustrated journal from the 
 table, but had scarcely turned over a page when 
 Maugiron tapped him on the shoulder : 
 
 " Are you going to dine? " 
 
 " Yes, with you, if you like? " 
 
 "Certainly. I am dining with Frecourt." 
 
 " Good. I should like to ask him a few ques- 
 tions." 
 
 Frecourt, familiarly named " the key of the cellar," 
 is one of the most up-to-date amateur musicians in 
 Paris. He is acquainted with all the scores, schools, 
 and singers; he could indicate the origin of the 
 most obscure street-ballad. In a club he is indispens- 
 able ; one has only to show him a couplet or read 
 him a rondeau to know at what pitch it must be 
 sung. 
 
 " That, my friend, is just the thing for the air of 
 Calpigi. ... Or you must adapt that to the air of 
 La pipe et les bottes. " 
 
 His fund of knowledge was inexhaustible, whence 
 his surname, "the key of the cellar." Acquainted 
 with all the singers, both male and female, for thirty- 
 five years, he spoke with pathos of Patti's debuts, 
 and related the beginning of Yvette Guilbert's career 
 at the Divan Japonais. His electricism was abso- 
 lute, and he expatiated with as much enthusiasm on 
 Paulus as on de Reszk^. His theory was that there 
 was evidently a hierarchy of classes, but each of 
 them was remarkable to an equal degree. 
 
 He himself sang in a falsetto voice, which grated 
 on the ears of the most complaisant of his listeners, 
 and it was considered quite a treat, in fashionable 
 7 97 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 life, to have him sing a popular air. He would take 
 his revenge by playing Gliick, Spontini, or Stradella, 
 then he would finish with the " Regiment de Sambre- 
 et-Meuse." 
 
 The steward passed into the salon, saying: 
 "Dinner is served, gentlemen." 
 
 Whereupon every one proceeded to the dining- 
 rooms. Usually there was an average of from forty 
 to fifty guests. A large table, capable of seating 
 twenty-five, was in the center, while smaller ones 
 Were in the corners and in other rooms. Several 
 retired generals dined here, bachelors, who, per- 
 chance, had not been invited to dine in town, and 
 occasional visitors like Tragomer. 
 
 " Frecourt, will you be good enough to speak on 
 any mortal subject except your cursed music? " 
 
 It was Maugiron, who from the very commence- 
 ment, threw out to his companion this severe ultima- 
 tum. 
 
 " Oh, yes," said Frecourt. " We know you are no 
 melomaniac. Shall I speak to you of cooking, 
 strategy, painting, or politics? " 
 
 " Ne parle pas. ..." 
 
 " Rose, je t'en supplie. . . . Sylvain's song from 
 the "Dragons de Villars," Act II., Scene . . . ," 
 said Frecourt with a laugh. 
 
 "There! Off he goes!" 
 
 "Leave Fr6court alone," intervened Tragomer, 
 " For my part I find his musicology very digestive. 
 In Texas, the Indian chiefs have melodies sung to 
 them during their meals. " 
 
 "You hear, Frecourt; savages!" 
 98 
 
A BATTLE OF WITS 
 
 "Oh! ever since civilization has existed, music 
 has been the necessary accompaniment of feasts. " 
 
 " Are you going to call in the Tziganes? " 
 
 " Look at Leonardo da Vinci's canvas representing 
 the Marriage at Cana. There you see musicians 
 scraping the violin, in sumptuous costumes, while 
 the guests empty the large earthenware jars, the 
 water in which has been turned into wine. They 
 are the Tziganes of the period." 
 
 " Did they run away with princesses in those 
 days? " * 
 
 "Very probably. Alain Chartier was kissed on 
 the lips by a queen, and he was only a poet." 
 
 "Just think what might have happened, had he 
 been a musician. " 
 
 " Yes, " said Tragomer. " But the bacchanals 
 killed Orpheus." 
 
 "They were filled with wine. Besides, who 
 knows? Perhaps he would not give them a little 
 tune." 
 
 " A dainty little tune — a saucy little tune ! " 
 hummed Maugiron. 
 
 "Ah! Maugiron, now I have you," said Frecourt, 
 "you're singing yourself." 
 
 " Penalty, send for some champagne." 
 
 " These musicians, what heretics they are ! Cham- 
 pagne? Why not lemonade? You shall taste some 
 Chateau-Laffite, such as will not be found anywhere 
 
 * Allusion to the elopement of the Princess of Caraman- 
 Chimay — formerly Clara Ward, an immensely wealthy Amer- 
 ican heiress — with the Tzigane Rigo, a few years ago, and 
 to the scandal caused thereby. 
 
 99 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 else. I obtained it specially for the club. I may 
 as well tell you, the commissary of wines is no 
 judge." 
 
 As the dinner continued, the conversation gradu- 
 ally became more heated. It was the beneficent 
 hour in which contented stomachs create a state of 
 happiness throughout the whole system. Maugiron 
 was in a benevolent mood, and no longer teased Fre- 
 court. Sorhge himself, seated at the large table, 
 away from the three friends, had a less enigmatical 
 smile on his face. The entremets were brought in, 
 when Tragomer, after a momentary silence, turned 
 toward Fr6court and asked carelessly : 
 
 " As you know all the singers in the universe, who 
 is Jenny Hawkins? " 
 
 " Ah ! Jenny Hawkins," said the melomaniac, " the 
 prima-donna who tours abroad with Rovelli? She 
 is Jeanne Baud. " 
 
 At this declaration Tragomer started. 
 
 "Jeanne Baud? That is a French name." 
 
 " Certainly. Jeanne Baud sang in operatta at the 
 Vari6t6s when the ' Pericole ' was repeated. She 
 took no important part at that time, playing the role 
 of chambermaid to the Princess of Mantua. She 
 was pretty, of good figure, and with a promising 
 voice ; but she did not work hard, Jeanne was too 
 fond of gaiety to find time for practising her scales. 
 Still, I predicted a brilliant future for her. " 
 
 " Did she sing under her own name? " interrupted 
 Tragomer. 
 
 " She called herself Jane Baudier. Oh ! you could 
 not have known her, Tragomer, you were never an 
 
 100 
 
A BATTLE OF WITS 
 
 habitu6 of the theaters. Besides, she was totally ig- 
 nored except for beauty." 
 
 " How old is she? " 
 
 "About thirty." 
 
 " What was she like, in point of physique? " 
 
 " Ah ! a beautiful brunette, with regular features, 
 magnificent dark eyes, a rather large mouth, but with 
 teeth like pearls. One fine morning, she disap- 
 peared, and has since then only been heard of un- 
 der the name of Jenny Hawkins, which, as you may 
 imagine, is infinitely more taking for the Anglo- 
 Saxons than Jeanne Baud or Jane Baudier. For one 
 thing, they look upon her as their compatriot, which 
 is certainly rather flattering." 
 
 " How long has she been away from France? " 
 
 " About three years. But if the matter interests 
 you, I know some one who can give you precise in- 
 formation." 
 
 "Who is he?" 
 
 " Campistron, the dramatic correspondent. As he 
 recruits all touring troupes, he is well acquainted 
 with the individual members. Even those with 
 whom he has no direct business." 
 
 " Where does this correspondent live? " 
 
 "Campistron? No. 17 rue de Lancry. Every- 
 body knows Campistron." 
 
 " Yes, you know him, " said Maugiron rather ill- 
 temperedly, " because you are music mad ; but how 
 can you expect Tragomer to know him? " 
 
 " By simply having seen him at the club. He has 
 been here often when some piece or other has had to 
 be organized or a soiree arranged. Campistron deals 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 with everything, from a grand first role to the car- 
 bine-shooter breaking eggs on his child's head like 
 William Tell, performing-dogs, and chain-breaking. 
 He is an astonishing type of humanity in every 
 way. " 
 
 " Will you not stop boring us with this old fool? " 
 interrupted Maugiron furiously. "Tragomer is 
 tired of it all." 
 
 " Not at all ; on the contrary, I am greatly inter- 
 ested," said Christian gently. "You, Maugiron, 
 when one stops talking of wine, are out of your ele- 
 ment. Listen to what we are saying, while you fin- 
 ish your Laffitte. So you were acquainted with this 
 Jeanne Baud, Fr6court? " 
 
 " Yes, my friend, I knew her at the Conservatoire 
 in Achard's class. She possessed a charming mezzo- 
 soprano voice. The life she led, however, was a 
 very reckless one — nothing is worse for the vocal 
 chords. She would drive up to the Faubourg Pois- 
 sonnifere, in a brougham to which was harnessed a 
 horse that had cost $750. You ought to have seen 
 the look on the face of old Ambrose Thomas. ' De- 
 cadence and corruption, sir, ' he would say, with up- 
 raised arms. The light-hearted girl singer missed 
 her prize, obtaining only an honorable mention. 
 There was almost a riot in the hall on account of the 
 toilet she wore, and her pearl earrings. Salvaneuse 
 protected her at that period. He thrashed, publicly, 
 on the open boulevard, Armand Valentin, who had 
 written a ferocious article on her. Afterward, for 
 five or six years, she left the musical career; then 
 one fine morning she appeared at the Vari6t6s in a 
 
A BATTLE OF WITS 
 
 revue with the finest figure that had been seen 
 there for some time." 
 
 " Is it true, Tragomer, that all this interests you? " 
 
 " Certainly, I am smoking and resting at the same 
 time. I am all right." 
 
 " For my part, I regard him as antediluvian, with 
 his Jeanne Baud and her Salvaneuse, whom I can 
 still picture in his tightly laced corset, with dyed 
 whiskers, and wearing an eyeglass. These are 
 nothing but old women's tales he is giving us. He 
 will be relating to us in a minute all about Valentine 
 and Markowski." 
 
 Tragomer burst out laughing : 
 
 " Come, you young blas^, a little indulgence for 
 our old young-hearted friends. Continue, Fr^- 
 court, I am listening with great interest." 
 
 " Ah, my dear friend, if incidents of this period 
 amuse you, I know several others which are very as- 
 tonishing." 
 
 "No," protested the Breton uneasily, "continue 
 about Jeanne Baud ; since we have begun we must 
 finish." 
 
 " Whatever interest can you take in this Jeanne 
 Baud? " growled Maugiron. " I never knew you to 
 be so stupid before. " 
 
 "You do not understand, Maugiron," said Trago- 
 mer gravely. " Some day, I will explain all, and the 
 account will astonish you." 
 
 "Well, then, continue Fr^court, as it seems you 
 are making yourself so interesting. " 
 
 103 
 
Chapter VIII 
 
 "WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK" 
 
 And Maugiron, lighting a cigar, began to smoke, 
 in an evidently bad temper. Coffee was being 
 served, and a few of the diners had already left the 
 rooms. Intimacy became greater, and Fr^court 
 risked one elbow on the table-cloth, continuing: 
 
 " If our young lady had only curbed herself, she 
 was in the way of making a large fortune. She had 
 a handsome house in the Rue de la Faisanderie, the 
 service of which became quite select. It is from this 
 time that her liaison with Wor6seff dates, and also 
 her passion for Sabine Leduc." 
 
 " Ha ! The whole string ! What horror I feel for 
 women of that kind!" 
 
 " You are not the only one. Probably Wor6seff 
 was of your opinion, for he abruptly abandoned her, 
 leaving her to live for a whole year on the wrecks of 
 her luxury; then, closely pressed by her creditors, 
 doubtless she vanished, appearing abroad under the 
 name of Jenny Hawkins. Her house was sold after 
 her departure, and since then nothing more has been 
 heard of her except through the journals. She has 
 never returned to Paris, as tho she entertained a 
 grudge against the scene of her discomfiture. " 
 
 They had risen from the table while Fr^court was 
 finishing his tale and were making their way toward 
 
 104 
 
"WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK" 
 
 the salons. Half of the diners had already left. 
 Sorfege, seated in an arm-chair, seemed to be digest- 
 ing his dinner with perfect satisfaction. Tragomer, 
 leaving his companions, drew near the young man, 
 and touched his shoulder from above the high-backed 
 chair : 
 
 " Good evening, Jean, quite well? " 
 
 Sorfege opened his eyes and shot a rapid glance at 
 Tragomer; then the drooping eyelids once more 
 veiled the mysteries of his thoughts. A vague smile 
 passed over his thin lips as he said quietly : 
 
 "Hello, Tragomer! is it you? Why did you not 
 dine at the large table with us? " 
 
 " Maugiron had reserved me a place at his table. 
 I have heard some important news about yourself. 
 It appears you are about to marry? " 
 
 A slight quiver might have been noticed playing 
 about the corner of his mouth, tho Sorfege con- 
 tinued smiling, and said : 
 
 " Ah ! Then some one has told you of this pro- 
 ject? ..." 
 
 " Project ! Then it is not settled? " 
 
 " Does one ever know for certain? " 
 
 " It is an American you have chosen. . . . ? " 
 
 "Yes; a charming lady. Miss Harvey. ... Do 
 you know her? " 
 
 " I have not that honor. But I hope you will be 
 kind enough to introduce me to her." 
 
 "With pleasure, tho you are a dangerous com- 
 panion. Christian, with that vigorous frame of 
 yours. . . . These Americans worship physical 
 
 strength. ..." 
 
 105 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Tragomer was watching Sorfege with all his facul- 
 ties awake and highly strung nerves. He listened 
 to the intonations of his voice, and watched the 
 working of his facial expression. Nothing betrayed 
 the Count's agitation except the slight trembling of 
 the mouth, which might be due to the nerves. Then, 
 closely looking at the man he suspected, Tragomer 
 said, with special emphasis and even a menacing 
 tone in his words : 
 
 " Was it during your trip to America that you be- 
 came acquainted with Miss Harvey? " 
 
 Sorfege did not raise his eyes ; he remained close 
 and impassive, then slowly pulled himself together, 
 took out a cigarette, and walking to the mantelpiece 
 lit it, as tho he wished to give himself time to reflect ; 
 then he said: 
 
 " No ; I knew her previously. It was her father 
 who took me to America." 
 
 Tragomer was put out of countenance; he had 
 hoped that Sorfege, if suddenly attacked, would be 
 afraid, lose his head, and deny the voyage; or at 
 least appear troubled by the question so unexpected- 
 ly asked. But his opponent did not lose his head so 
 easily, and was never afraid. Christian immediately 
 had a proof of this. Sorege opened his eyes wide, 
 filled with a disquieting light, and burst into a loud 
 laugh : 
 
 " And you. Were you displeased with your dis- 
 placement? You did not appear to be enjoying your- 
 self very much at San Francisco while listening to 
 Othello in that beautiful box you were occupying." 
 
 It was Tragomer's turn to be surprised. He did 
 io6 
 
"WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK" 
 
 not expect this audacious reply. Not only did 
 Sorfege not dissimulate ; he even anticipated expla- 
 nations. 
 
 "Then you saw me?" asked the Breton in a tone 
 of eager curiosity. 
 
 " Saw you ! How could I help it? " said the Count 
 gaily. "You blockade me in an actress's room at 
 the very time it was most essential for me to pre- 
 serve my incognito." 
 
 " In what way? " 
 
 Sorfege sat down astride an easy chair so as to have 
 the heat and the light of the fire at his back, then, 
 as Tragomer had sunk down, stupefied, into an arm- 
 chair by his side, he continued with admirable tran- 
 quillity : 
 
 "Just think; I was at San Francisco with Mr. 
 Harvey and his sons when chance threw into my 
 path a former acquaintance whom I had not seen for 
 three or four years, while she had been traveling 
 about the world seeking a fortune. ..." 
 
 " Jenny Hawkins? " 
 
 "Yes, Jenny Hawkins. I am not going to play 
 the hypocrite with you. Miss Harvey's father 
 dragged me for two months about his ranchos. It 
 was rather monotonous, and Jenny gave me a very 
 good reception. After all that Americanism it was 
 pleasant to have a little of the European element 
 introduced. ..." 
 
 " Then you were present, occupying a box, when 
 I entered? " 
 
 " With your two Yankees, yes. You may imagine 
 whether or not I was anxious to show myself. Had 
 
 107 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 you come and flung yourself into my arms you 
 would have had to introduce me to your two friends. 
 They would have spoken of our meeting in the town. 
 Harvey and his sons might have learned that I have 
 had a liaison there, and knowing as I do the opinions 
 of the Anglo-Saxons, I should have found myself in 
 a difficult situation. You are not angry with me, are 
 you? " 
 
 Tragomer had recovered his self-possession. He 
 was now reflecting. Sorfege's explanation was cer- 
 tainly acceptable, even probable. But, for a mind 
 as prepossessed as Christian's, there was an excess 
 of skill in the whole story; it rested on too well 
 laid a foundation. In this minute and careful 
 arrangement was revealed the intention to deceive. 
 He wished to drive to extremities this admirable 
 actor, to force him to exhibit all his talent. 
 
 " I am not angry with you in the slightest, since 
 you had an interest in acting as you did. But Jenny 
 Hawkins knew me also, it appears? " 
 
 " Knew you? " 
 
 " The moment the door was closed you said to her 
 in low tones: ' Take care — Tragomer! ' " 
 
 Sorfege imperceptibly frowned. Perhaps he felt 
 he was being pressed too hard, and was slightly 
 angry in consequence. He dryly replied : 
 
 "Ah! you heard? Sly fellow. You have good 
 ears. Well, yes, she knew you. In a very simple 
 manner. I saw you from my corner of the box as 
 soon as you entered. She, too, as an artiste, inter- 
 ested in learning before whom she was singing, had 
 noticed you and guessed you to be a foreigner. As 
 
 io8 
 
"WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK" 
 
 soon as I entered her room, she spoke of your host 
 and his companion : ' A Frenchman, I would swear, ' 
 she said. ' A Parisian, even, ' I replied. ' Then you 
 know him? ' ' Certainly, he is a friend of mine. ' 
 ' Bring him to me. ' ' You must be joking. If 
 Tragomer has taken your fancy, wait till I am gone. ' 
 She said it was stupid on my part, and naturally I 
 could not inform her that the reason I did not wish 
 to be seen in her presence was that I was about to 
 be married. I got out of the scrape by pretending to 
 be jealous. That is why, when you entered the 
 room I hastily closed the door, uttering your name 
 by way of warning, and adding in menacing tones, 
 the words ' Take care.' " 
 
 Tragomer did not deny the truth of this account. 
 He hastened to throw light on the entire facts. 
 
 " It was you who were returning with her after 
 the performance? " 
 
 " Naturally. Your sudden appearance in front of 
 the door just when I was about to descend was very 
 annoying. We were returning to take supper to- 
 gether." 
 
 " So you left each other there, without meeting 
 again? " 
 
 "Oh, no," said Sorfege pleasantly. "Ten minutes 
 after, when you had made up your mind to return 
 into the hotel, Jenny came out again. I was wait- 
 ing for her in the carriage, and, instead of taking 
 supper at the Hotel des Etrangers, we went to the 
 Golden House. It was when leaving there at two 
 o'clock in the morning that she caught a cold and 
 was hoarse the next day, causing her performance 
 
 109 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 the following evening to be countermanded, and 
 bringing about her departure for Chicago. " 
 
 " Where you saw her again? " 
 
 " Certainly. We recompensed ourselves fully for 
 all the worry you had caused us. But now, in your 
 turn, will you explain to me why you are so deter- 
 mined to play the spy on this poor girl, as you have 
 been doing? " 
 
 "Ah, that's a fine question. I had found her com- 
 pany very charming, and I discovered that some 
 mysterious personage or other was occupying the 
 place I was anxious to hold. I wanted to be quite 
 certain whether I had any chance or not." 
 
 Sorfege, with closed eyes, and a smile on his lips 
 continued to smoke. Then he said, good humoredly : 
 
 " That is all very simple. We were rivals for a 
 whole twenty-four hours. But for my prospective 
 stepfather and those cowboy sons of his, I would 
 willingly have introduced you, and you would have 
 shared my good fortune, as is right between friends, 
 especially when traveling." 
 
 Tragomer said nothing for some moments, then, 
 as tho overcome by curiosity, asked : 
 
 "Where did you become acquainted with Jenny 
 Hawkins? " 
 
 " Ah, that is annoying you, is it? Well, I will tell 
 you. I made her acquaintance in London at the 
 Alhambra, where she was engaged to sing and 
 dance, without giving any signs that she would 
 some day become a star." 
 
 " Is she not Italian? " asked Tragomer abruptly. 
 
 Sorfege slowly opened his eyes, and spoke in a 
 
"WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK" 
 
 voice, the sudden dryness of which alone betrayed 
 his emotion : 
 
 "Why Italian? Because she sings in Italian? All 
 singers on tour can sing in Italian. It is indispens- 
 able, and may be learned in twenty lessons." 
 
 " At any rate, she is neither English nor Ameri- 
 can, so my hosts told me." 
 
 " Then, if you know, why do you ask me? " 
 
 " To see if you knew or not. " 
 
 " I might well not have known, for this girl's past 
 life has little interest for me, but, as it happens, I do 
 know, my good Christian. I like to make inquiries 
 concerning the people with whom I have even pass- 
 ing relations, and I am very well informed concern- 
 ing Jenny Hawkins " 
 
 " Whose name is not Jenny Hawkins? " 
 
 " No," said Sorfege coldly. " She is named Jeanne 
 Baud, or Jane Baudier, and is French by birth. 
 Now are you satisfied, Tragomer? " 
 
 In the tone in which these words were uttered 
 there was so much sarcasm that Christian clenched 
 his hands together in wrath. It was as tho his 
 interlocutor had said to him : " Hunt everywhere, 
 my poor fellow, you will not find me at fault. I will 
 put you off, as I like, and continue the game as long 
 as I please. Here I have had you on tenter-hooks 
 for a whole hour, telling you a pack of falsehoods, 
 to lead you to the discovery of Jeanne Baud, who is 
 a real personage on whose authenticity you will rack 
 your brains in vain." 
 
 At that very moment Tragomer was certain that 
 Jenny Hawkins was not Jeanne Baud, and that in 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 this question was the very knot of the puzzle. The 
 difficulty was to discover Lea Pdrelli in Jeanne 
 Baud. For the mask under which Sorfege covered 
 her was a double one, without the slightest doubt. 
 But the Count had lifted that of Jenny Hawkins and 
 shown Jeanne Baud. There was nothing more to 
 expect. Christian had a capital interest in not 
 straining his relations with Sorbge. Assuming a 
 jovial air he replied : 
 
 " Good. I see you are still the same ; very circum- 
 spect in all you do. As times go this is certainly no 
 trifling quality. " 
 
 " I try to reason a little. There are so many peo- 
 ple who march straight in front of themselves in 
 a very harebrained fashion. Heavens ! There are 
 sufficient opportunities about for breaking one's neck 
 without wilfully choosing the wrong paths. " 
 
 " Will you go and live in America when you are 
 married? " 
 
 " No, indeed. It is impossible to live all one's life 
 in such a country, as you doubtless know. One 
 might as well live in some provincial manufactory 
 in the midst of the whirl of business and debarred 
 from distractions of any kind. Americans who have 
 made their pile know well enough that their country 
 is habitable only for the purpose of making money, 
 accordingly they are anxious to come and settle in 
 Europe. If one wished to play them a good trick, 
 it would be sufficient to force them to live in the 
 United States. They would die of grief." 
 
 "That is why their daughters manifest so lively a 
 propensity to marry English or French noblemen." 
 
"WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK" 
 
 " If you feel so inclined, Harvey is acquainted with 
 several charming young ladies, light-complexioned, 
 with long waists and short legs, rather heavy chins, 
 and possessed of large dowries. We must cross the 
 races, Tragomer. " 
 
 " Yes ! But such an alliance is not in my line just 
 now. Still, I shall compliment your fiancee heartily 
 on the choice she has made. " 
 
 " Very well, I will take you to see Harvey one of 
 these evenings. The most extraordinary liquors are 
 supplied, such as will astonish you. " 
 
 " I shall drink none of them." 
 
 They were now laughing in perfect freedom and 
 unreservedly, like a pair of boon companions. To 
 see and hear them no one would have suspected the 
 gravity of the conversation just over, and how im- 
 portant were the interests discussed. And yet had 
 any one touched Sorfege's neck he would at once have 
 perceived that, altho perfectly calm to all appear- 
 ance, he was perspiring profusely, as tho he had 
 just finished a long race. The two friends arose, 
 and leaning in familiar fashion on each other, 
 passed into the gambling-room, and drew near the 
 baccarat table: 
 
 " Do you ever play now? " asked Tragomer. 
 
 " Occasionally, to kill an hour or two." 
 
 " Do you win? " 
 
 " Sometimes. " 
 
 Tragomer looked at Sorfege and said sorrowfully : 
 
 " Then you are not like poor Jacques ; he never 
 won." 
 
 In spite of Sorfege's self-possession, he trembled on 
 8 113 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 hearing that name. A pallor spread over his face, 
 and he replied in a scarcely audible voice : 
 
 "At the game he played it was impossible to win." 
 
 Tragomer then shook his head and said in firm 
 tones : 
 
 " Especially when one has to deal with opponents 
 who cheat with corner-bent cards. " 
 
 For a moment they stood facing each other with- 
 out uttering a word. 
 
 Sorfege's eyes sparkled, his lips quivered, as tho 
 on the point of making some imprudent declaration 
 or other. But he succeeded in curbing himself. 
 He moved away a few paces, then returned to his 
 friend and said : 
 
 " One is never ruined through others, Tragomer ; 
 it is weakness to pretend that this is the case. 
 Every one is master of his own destiny. If poor 
 Jacques were here now he would acknowledge I am 
 right in saying so. " 
 
 And with a proud wave of the hand he bade Chris- 
 tian good- by, and left the room. 
 
 "4 
 
Chapter IX 
 
 FLASHES OF UGHT 
 
 The Campistron dramatic agency is situated in 
 the Rue de Lancry, on the third floor, looking on the 
 courtyard. There, retiring from public life, after a 
 busy career in provincial theaters, the former first 
 tenor undertook to supply his ex-directors with ar- 
 tistes for all kinds of employment. Madame Cam- 
 pistron, better known under the name of Gloriette, 
 had had a passing reputation as a music-hall 
 singer. She helped her husband to organize re- 
 hearsals, to stage short performances, and to give 
 advice to amateurs. For Campistron not only 
 placed in all the departments the overflow from the 
 Paris theaters, he also undertook to supply heads 
 of families with plays, reviews, comic operas, panto- 
 mimes, and, generally speaking, everything that is 
 seen, listened to, hissed, or applauded by the public. 
 
 Business prospered with him. He had rented the 
 remaining apartment on the third floor in order to 
 have a miniature stage fixed up there, where he gave 
 lessons and rehearsals, and which he pompously 
 called his Conservatoire. The fact was that Cam- 
 pistron was not merely a dramatic contractor, he 
 was an innovator, he had invented a new method, 
 ventral singing. 
 
 115 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " You do not breathe with the chest, " he would 
 say in a voice of thunder — the rather cracked voice 
 he used in singing the " Proph^te " of Meyerbeer. 
 " It is always ventral! " 
 
 He had already, by his process, changed scores of 
 baritones to basses and tenors to baritones, without 
 speaking of those he had rendered voiceless. But 
 little did he care ! Imperturbably he continued his 
 vocal massacre. His position as correspondent 
 was the one by which he lived, tho he despised it. 
 His position as professor brought him nothing but 
 mortification, but he gloried in it. Those sly rogues 
 who desired good engagements knew this weakness 
 of his. They gave out that they sang according to 
 the Campistron method, whereupon they were im- 
 mediately extolled as real prodigies by the vain old 
 man. 
 
 According to Fr6court's directions, Tragomer and 
 Marenval one day called at No. 17 rue de Lancry 
 about four o'clock. The doorkeeper, who was 
 scouring a saucepan on the threshold of her room, 
 on being interrogated by Marenval replied slyly : 
 
 " The staircase in front. If for an engagement, 
 third floor, door to the left; if for lessons, door to 
 the right." 
 
 As the two men appeared to be undecided, she 
 added : 
 
 " Impossible to make a mistake. As soon as you 
 hear yells and shrieks you will have reached the 
 right place." 
 
 Tragomer burst into a laugh and said : 
 
 "Thank you, Madame." 
 n6 
 
FLASHES OF LIGHT 
 
 The old dame continued scraping her boiler, and 
 Marenval heard her growling : " Here are some 
 more poor actors, with fur-lined coats on their backs, 
 and not a farthing in their pockets ! " 
 
 " My dear friend," said Marenval, as he climbed the 
 damp and evil-smelling staircase, " I will not conceal 
 from you my impression that this doorkeeper, accus- 
 tomed to studying faces, has doubtless taken you 
 for a young first tenor and myself probably for your 
 father, a nobleman in quest of a director. She has 
 even expressed her disdain in scarcely correct lan- 
 guage." 
 
 " We must be proof against all these impressions, 
 Marenval, we shall meet with such often enough." 
 
 " I am not complaining, my dear friend, it is 
 merely a fact I am stating. It does not trouble 
 me in the slightest. " 
 
 Tragomer had halted on the second floor. Violent 
 vociferations were heard on the floor above. 
 
 " They are shrieking and yelling, as the old lady 
 said; we are drawing near." 
 
 They climbed the third floor, which was as steep 
 as a ladder. 
 
 "Oh!" exclaimed Marenval, "this third floor 
 might well count for two. Give me time to recover 
 my breath. Tragomer, you mount like a chamois." 
 
 They finally reached a door on which might be 
 read the following inscription, painted in black let- 
 ters: "Campistron, dramatic correspondent. Sing- 
 ing and elocution lessons. Vocal method." On a 
 small piece of paper, attached to the door by four 
 wafers, was this inscription, hand written : " Ring 
 
 117 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 loudly." The recommendation was not without 
 purpose, for a whole tempest of sepulchral cries 
 was being let loose, as tho a very painful surgical 
 operation was being performed on a very sensitive 
 patient. 
 
 " Ah ! we are in front of the door on the right, the 
 lesson-room," said Tragomer. "We must ring at 
 the one on the left, the engagement-room." 
 
 On this door the inscription was "Campistron 
 Agency. Engagements, Information. Perform- 
 ances of every description from ten o'clock till five 
 o'clock. T. T. H." 
 
 "T. T. H.," said Marenval. "That means 
 ' Turn the handle. ' " 
 
 He suited the action to the word. The door 
 opened, and a gloomy-looking room, hung with tar- 
 nished wallpaper, and separated in all its length by 
 a wooden balustrade, was presented to their view. 
 Behind the balustrade, two clerks, of very shabby 
 aspect, were writing. Men and women were seated 
 on the well-worn benches, waiting. One of the 
 clerks raised his head, laid down his pen, and after 
 glancing at the two visitors recognized that they 
 were no ordinary clients, and rising from his seat 
 asked : 
 
 " Can I do anything for you, gentlemen? " 
 
 "We wish to speak to M. Campistron," said Tra- 
 gomer. 
 
 " He is engaged just now, but if you would like to 
 speak to Madame Campistron? " 
 
 Marenval and Tragomer exchanged glances. 
 
 "Very well," replied Marenval. 
 ii8 
 
FLASHES OF LIGHT 
 
 The clerk opened a door in the balustrade, and 
 crossed the ante-chamber. After knocking at a door 
 he entered, with an air of mystery, returning after 
 a few seconds. 
 
 " Will you please follow me? " he said. 
 
 Murmurings arose from the people waiting there 
 on the benches. They had been waiting there for a 
 long time, probably without great expectations, and 
 looks of protest against the favor thus brutally 
 granted before their very eyes, were exchanged. 
 
 " Always the same thing. We shall stay here till 
 closing time, and then we shall be told to return to- 
 morrow. Campistron was not so haughty, down in 
 Perpignan, when singing with me in ' La Favo- 
 rita. ' " 
 
 Marenval and Tragomer heard no further. They 
 had entered a study, furnished with green repp, 
 where a plump little woman of too light complexion 
 was seated in front of a desk, signing an engage- 
 ment with a very handsome girl, well made up, and 
 smelling strongly of musk. Madame Campistron 
 requested the visitors to take a seat and said: 
 
 " I shall be at your service in a minute, gentle- 
 men." 
 
 Then, turning to the young girl, she said : 
 
 " There you are. You start to-morrow, and make 
 your d6but at the end of the week. You will have 
 a hundred francs the first month, and a hundred 
 and fifty the second." 
 
 " I agree, Madame Campistron, and I will send you 
 some sugar sticks so that you may not forget me. 
 What kind of a town is Rouen? " 
 
 119 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "Garrison town, my child; noted for its wealth 
 and artistic taste. The men are rather parsimonious, 
 but generally speaking they may be relied on. As 
 for the public, they are like the cider of that district, 
 sometimes sweet, sometimes sour. That depends 
 on circumstances. A pleasant journey, and be 
 punctual in your payments." 
 
 The pretty girl shot a keen glance at Tragomer 
 and a graceful smile at Marenval, then folding up 
 her deed, she slipped it in her bodice. Leaving the 
 atmosphere behind her strongly saturated with per- 
 fume, she left the room. Madame Campistron mean- 
 time had taken a seat near the two visitors. 
 
 "Gentlemen, what can I do to serve you?" she 
 said with an engaging smile. 
 
 " Ah, Madame, the proceeding we are engaged on 
 is a delicate one," began Tragomer. "My friend 
 and myself are seeking a singer who is traveling 
 about the world with a lyric company, and the idea 
 was suggested to us to approach M. Campistron, 
 whose knowledge we have been assured is unique in 
 matters of this kind. We wish to know where the 
 circuit in question is at this moment. " 
 
 " You have not presumed too much on our ability 
 to serve you, sir," she said emphatically, "and I 
 should be very much surprised if we were unable to 
 give you precise information. Here is a catalog 
 of all the companies on tour in Paris and London, 
 the families of the artists often come to ask where 
 letters must be addressed to reach their destination. 
 We do all we can to assist them. What company is 
 it?" 
 
 120 
 
FLASHES OF LIGHT 
 
 "The Rovelli Company." 
 
 "Ah, Rovelli? " said Madame Campistron with an 
 air of disdain. " A colorless voice. Such an organ 
 as his does not take in France. It is lacking in 
 tone. And tone is not to be acqtiired by singing 
 through the nose. If M. Campistron were here, he 
 would explain his method to you. He is the man to 
 give tone to a voice. But, I beg your pardon. 
 What is the name of the person in whom you are in- 
 terested? " 
 
 " Miss Jenny Hawkins." 
 
 At this name Madame Campistron's face under- 
 went a sudden change ; her cheeks became livid, her 
 painted eyebrows contracted, barring her forehead 
 with a formidable line, while she struck her hands 
 against each other and said bitterly : 
 
 " Ah, ah, Jenny Hawkins. It is long since I heard 
 Jenny Hawkins's name mentioned. It is lucky, too, 
 that Monsieur Campistron is not present. A pain- 
 ful emotion is thus spared him." 
 
 "In what way, Madame? " asked Marenval. 
 
 " M. Campistron has been greatly mortified by the 
 artiste you have just mentioned. . . . However, I 
 beg your pardon, that is of slight importance- 
 Doubtless, gentlemen, one of you is interested in 
 this young lady? " 
 
 " In no way, Madame," replied Tragomer, vexed at 
 seeing the confidential information scarcely begun 
 thus cut short. " It is simply a question of inheri- 
 tance." 
 
 " Ah! she is to inherit? " exclaimed Madame Cam- 
 pistron indignantly. " Always those silly girls who 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 have the most luck. Oh! I must call Campistron 
 after all. Excuse me a moment, gentlemen." 
 
 Seizing an acoustic tube she blew strongly, then 
 shouted through the mouthpiece : 
 
 " Monsieur Campistron, you must come here a few 
 minutes ; two gentlemen have called who will give 
 you important information. ..." 
 
 Placing the apparatus to her ear she listened, and 
 then replied eagerly: 
 
 " Leave the great idiot to your assistant and come. 
 You will lose nothing, and he can practise his scales 
 in the mean time." 
 
 A heavy step shook the floor, a sonorous cough 
 was heard in the next room, and Campistron, a dark- 
 complexioned, thickly bearded man, entered. He 
 bowed, smiling, his hand to his breast, like a singer 
 responding to an encore, and said in a modulated 
 tone of voice : 
 
 " I am at your service, gentlemen. How can I 
 help you? " 
 
 " Ah ! Be ready to turn pale, Campistron ; these 
 gentlemen are looking for Jenny Hawkins, who has 
 inherited." 
 
 Campistron assumed the posture of Hippocrates 
 refusing the gifts of Artaxerxes. Closing his eyes 
 he turned aside his head, extending his arms. One 
 would have thought the succession had been offered 
 to him. Then he said in grave tones : 
 
 " I had hoped never to hear again of that wretched 
 woman. " 
 
 "You see, gentlemen. What did I tell you? 
 Campistron, master yourself. You must answer 
 
FLASHES OP LIGHT 
 
 these gentlemen. They wish to know where the 
 Rovelli Company is at this moment." 
 
 "Ah! ah! Rovelli," sneered the former tenor dis- 
 dainfully. " Yes ; it was to sing with this Neapolitan 
 merry-andrew that she left me. A girl I would have 
 had in the opera had she only listened to me. But 
 it was of no avail ! She would sing from the chest ! 
 Madness! Well! well! Gentlemen, in spite of 
 everything, Rovelli and the Italian method, my in- 
 struction had its effect, and she actually does sing 
 ventrally ! " 
 
 Marenval and Tragomer had no time to wonder by 
 what method Campistron spoke. They shuddered, 
 and the very windows shook at the formidable roll- 
 ing sounds which issued from the mouth of the ex- 
 tenor. But Campistron soon calmed down. His fits 
 of passion were theatrical, lasting only long enough 
 to produce their desired effect. Resuming his smile 
 he said: 
 
 " She is not named Jenny Hawkins, but Jeanne 
 Baud. I knew her mother very well. ..." 
 
 Madame Campistron at this grew angry and said 
 in bitter tones: 
 
 " Ah ! speak of the daughter, not of the mother. 
 I have had worry enough with that woman. She 
 was rather too attentive to you during her lifetime. 
 Ah ! gentlemen, all the women. . . . Yes, all, used 
 to be mad over him. . . . Come, speak to these 
 gentlemen. Never mind your private life. ..." 
 
 Campistron opened a register, and striking the 
 folios with the palm of his hand, said : 
 
 " Here, gentlemen, is the route taken by all the 
 123 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 important companies on tour throughout the world. 
 For instance, if you wanted to know where Madame 
 Lassalle is just now? " 
 
 Turning several pages he said : 
 
 "On the 17th instant she was at Bucharest. . . . 
 On the 2 ist at Budapest, on the 23d at Vienna. . . ." 
 
 " But we want Rovelli," interrupted Madame Cam- 
 pistron. 
 
 " Rovelli and his company are actually at Vera 
 Cruz. . . . They are going from there to Mexico 
 and Tampico, then to Guayama, . . . halting at 
 Colombia and returning to Europe in the spring to 
 finish the tour during the season at London. "' 
 
 "Ah!" said Tragomer, "is that correct? Will 
 Jenny Hawkins go to London? " 
 
 " In the month of May she will be singing at 
 Covent Garden. " 
 
 " And about what time exactly, Monsieur Cam- 
 pistron, did she leave France? " 
 
 " She left with Rovelli two years ago. " 
 
 " Two years. You are quite sure? " 
 
 " Absolutely certain. In the month of August she 
 was still working with me here. Madame Campis- 
 tron will tell you the same, our accompanist can 
 affirm my statement, and everybody in the house 
 would testify to it. But what advantage is it to 
 know this? " 
 
 " It is impossible to know," said Marenval gravely. 
 " But it would be useful to be certain of this par- 
 ticular." 
 
 " Well ! gentlemen. I will confirm my statement. 
 As a rule, she paid for her lessons very punctually, 
 
 124 
 
FLASHES OF LIGHT 
 
 but she left France without settling her last month's 
 account. I do not reproach her for it," said Cam- 
 pistron loftily, " artistes are not bargainers. They 
 work willingly for honor alone. I merely state the 
 fact. Tho I wrote reproaching her for leaving 
 me without notice, even without saying good-by, 
 she never even replied. It was not an autograph I 
 cared for, gentlemen. I have more than a score of 
 letters from her here." 
 
 " Could you show us a specimen? " 
 
 Campistron laid his hand on his heart and said 
 proudly : 
 
 " First of all, gentlemen, assure me that you do 
 not wish to make a wrong use of this writing against 
 a woman. Jeanne Baud has been passionately loved. 
 She was so beautiful ! Will you give me your word 
 of honor that there is no secret affair of jealousy 
 here?" 
 
 " I give it you, for my friend and myself. " 
 
 " Then, sir, I will satisfy you. Look in the folios 
 under letter B, my dear. Here, everything is well 
 arranged, sir, otherwise we should be ruined." 
 
 Madame Campistron opened a drawer and began 
 the search. Tragomer, desirous of more complete 
 information, said: 
 
 " You mentioned just now, sir, that Jeanne Baud 
 was very beautiful. Have you a portrait of her, by 
 any chance? " 
 
 "Yes, her photograph, with an effusive dedica- 
 tion, and her autograph. My dear, give me the 
 photograph with the writing on it? " 
 
 " Here it is," said Madame Campistron. 
 125 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 She handed to her husband a small album, which 
 the singer examined with mingled satisfaction and 
 wrath : 
 
 "Yes, here she is, the wretch. One might say, 
 gentlemen, that she has been endowed by heaven 
 with the most precious of gifts, form, gait, expres- 
 sion. Ah! the expression ! Judge it yourselves." 
 
 He held out the photo to Tragomer, who took it 
 with a feeling of real anxiety. He hesitated before 
 looking at it. A glance was to decide everything. 
 If the photograph represented Jenny Hawkins as he 
 had seen her in San Francisco, then everything was 
 lost. The only thing would be to admit an incredible 
 resemblance between her and L^a Pirelli. But if 
 it were not the singer? Raising the portrait to his 
 eyes, he exclaimed: 
 
 " This is not Jenny Hawkins ! " 
 
 "Come, sir," said Campistron, with a condescend- 
 ing smile, " you are joking. It is Jeanne Baud, and 
 as Jeanne Baud is Jenny Hawkins, there can be no 
 mistake." 
 
 Tragomer made no reply. He looked at the por- 
 trait, which represented a beautiful and dark-com- 
 plexioned girl, tall, d6collet6, with an admirable 
 figure, and smiling as tho in a reverie. Not a 
 single feature of the woman in the San Francisco 
 theater. Accordingly, there must, without the 
 faintest doubt, be a mistake as to the individual. If 
 Jenny Hawkins were Jeanne Baud, there had been 
 a substitution of state or condition, and L6a Pirelli 
 had for two years been living under an assumed 
 name. But then, who was the murdered person? 
 
 126 
 
FLASHES OF LIGHT 
 
 Here Tragomer bristled against indestructible 
 realities. The woman who had been assassinated in 
 the Rue Marbeuf was Lda P6relli. Everybody had 
 recognized her. Jacques de Fr6neuse himself had 
 not disputed her identity. In spite of the disfigured 
 face, unrecognizable by reason of revolver shots and 
 the madness of the assassin, her tall figure and 
 magnificent blonde hair, the clothes she wore, the 
 very rings found on her fingers — everything, in 
 short, testified that the murdered woman was in- 
 deed Jacques's mistress. And yet it was not this 
 person, since now, Tragomer, after suspecting that 
 she was alive, was certain that she was living under 
 an assumed name. 
 
 Again he looked at the photograph. Jeanne Baud 
 was as dark-complexioned as L^a Pirelli was fair. 
 The figure was the same ; there were the same pearly 
 teeth and charming lips. Tragomer summoned back 
 to memory all he still recognized of Lea Perelli in 
 that bruised face and mouth, the white teeth of 
 which gave forth a ghastly smile, and there Jeanne 
 Baud had the same mouth as hia. Pirelli. He 
 said: 
 
 "Will you trust this photograph to me, sir? It 
 would be of great service, and I will undertake to 
 return it within two days. So that you may know 
 with whom you are dealing, there is my card." 
 
 Campistron glanced at the card held out to him 
 and bowed in deferential fashion. 
 
 " Very pleased to be of service to Viscount Trago- 
 mer. Doubtless, you wish to show the portrait to 
 
 the notary? " 
 
 127 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " You have guessed. Monsieur Campistron. Some 
 friends of mine are engaged in this liquidation, which 
 threatens to be one difficult of settlement. The 
 identity of the inheritors must be established; hence 
 the utility of the portrait and the writing. " 
 
 "I understand." 
 
 " Was this Miss Hawkins agreeable in disposi- 
 tion?" 
 
 " Agreeable, sir ! " exclaimed Madame Campistron. 
 "Nothing of the kind. She was violence itself! 
 Thunder and lightning ! Altogether unscrupulous ! " 
 
 " My dear! " interrupted the ex- tenor. 
 
 " Oh ! she was well known. And what language ! 
 Billingsgate, sir, was out of the question. Ah ! It 
 was certain she had never been brought up by a 
 duchess. Old Mother Baud — Yes, Campistron, in 
 spite of all your protests, she was a mere nobody. 
 And her daughter was the same. One day I saw 
 her strike Bonnaud, the tenor, because he would not 
 sing a little quicker in the duet from ' Carmen. ' He 
 turned dumb with astonishment right in the middle 
 of a couplet. No one has ever been able to live with 
 her, so wicked and vicious was she. As you may 
 understand, sir, one does not care to live with a 
 woman who associates with both men and women, 
 and that at the same time ! " 
 
 " Now you are satisfied! " burst forth Campistron. 
 "You have vented all your spleen on this poor 
 girl, I suppose. No, sir, she was not by any means 
 a paragon of virtue, but she had a splendid voice 
 before Rovelli " 
 
 " I beg your pardon," interrupted Tragomer, " but 
 128 
 
FLASHES OF LIGHT 
 
 did Rovelli know her before meeting her in Eng- 
 land? " 
 
 " He had never seen her." 
 
 " Had she sung in England under the name of 
 Baud before leaving for America under that of Jenny 
 Hawkins? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, she had an engagement for the Alham- 
 bra. In reality, it was not good enough for her. 
 All the same, she did not arrange matters with the 
 management, and, accordingly, a lawsuit was in- 
 stituted, at which Jenny Hawkins was condemned 
 to pay an indemnity." 
 
 " Has she sung in England during the past two 
 years? " 
 
 " No, sir, she will make her d6but there for the 
 first time next spring." 
 
 " And no one will remember Jeanne Baud when 
 transformed into Jenny Hawkins.'' 
 
 "You are right, sir. People forget so quickly. 
 The more so, as no one saw her, because she can- 
 celled the engagement before appearing in public. 
 She was in no way remarkable before taking up her 
 Italian career." 
 
 " Are there any artistes who were friendly with 
 Jeanne Baud, formerly at the Conservatoire, for in- 
 stance, or here, by whom she might run the risk of 
 being recognized? " 
 
 " Yes, there are some in Paris ; but the chances in 
 London against such an event are great." 
 
 "Thank you, sir, I have all the information I 
 wished to secure, " said Tragomer, " I must thank you 
 heartily for all your assistance." 
 9 129 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Do not mention it, Monsieur le Vicomte ; gentle- 
 men are certain of a very favorable reception here. 
 If we can be of any service to you, we will endeavor 
 to give full satisfaction. Drawing-room entertain- 
 ments, pantomimes, whatever is of a diverting or 
 interesting nature. Will you permit me to offer 
 you a prospectus? " 
 
 130 
 
Chapter X 
 
 STEP BY STEP AGAINST ERROR 
 
 In possession of the photograph, and their hands 
 full of papers, Marenval and Tragomer took leave of 
 the Campistrons. From the landing they heard the 
 bass singer, whose lessons had been curtailed by 
 their conversation with Campistron, growling out his 
 scales. They descended the damp, evil-smelling 
 staircase, right past the doorkeeper, who was now 
 peeling onions, and, with disdainful look, followed 
 them right to the outer door. 
 
 "Well! Tragomer," said Marenval, once in the 
 street, " will you kindly explain the meaning of the 
 conversation you have just been engaged in with that 
 great painted woman and that ridiculous husband of 
 hers? On my word of honor, I am quite at sea in 
 the matter." 
 
 " We must congratulate ourselves, Marenval," said 
 Christian. " Our inquiry has taken an immense 
 stride forward. I have actually the proof in my 
 possession that Jenny Hawkins is not the woman she 
 is believed to be. We must now speak to a magis- 
 trate, for we are entering on the most complicated 
 phase of the whole affair. " 
 
 " What will this be? " exclaimed Marenval, 
 131 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "It will be impassioned, Marenval. We shall 
 have to struggle, step by step, against error, for the 
 triumph of truth. Yesterday, we ran the risk of 
 failure. To-day we have before us a real end in 
 view. The whole question consisted in our being 
 convinced that Jeanne Baud was not Jenny Haw- 
 kins. The proof of this is in my pocket. This pho- 
 tograph, signed by Campistron's pupil, proves con- 
 clusively that there has been a substitution of persons. 
 Jenny Hawkins will now have to explain how it is 
 that she has no longer the features of Jeanne Baud, 
 but those of a person alleged to have been killed, 
 two years ago, at the very moment that Jeanne Baud 
 quitted England, changed her name, concealed her- 
 self from such as might have known her, and created 
 for- herself an entirely new personality. Now do 
 you understand, Marenval? " 
 
 " I am beginning to do so. Still, my dear friend, 
 are we going to set off in pursuit of Miss Jenny 
 Hawkins? If she is touring up and down the world 
 theenterprise might lead us a considerable distance. " 
 
 " Do not alarm yourself. We can not start yet. 
 That will be for later, perhaps. Jenny Hawkins is 
 to come to London — she can not escape us. It is not 
 possible to cry off an engagement in a London thea- 
 ter without paying a considerable forfeit. She will 
 come, you will see. Once there, we shall be free to 
 act. The London season does not startle you, I sup- 
 pose? " 
 
 " On the contrary. It would be a pleasure to me 
 to cross the Channel." 
 
 They had reached the Boulevard Magenta, where 
 132 
 
STEP BY STEP AGAINST ERROR 
 
 they had taken the precaution to leave the carriage 
 which had brought them. Tragomer said to Maren- 
 val: 
 
 " Now we must go to the magistracy. You have 
 mentioned calling on Pierre de Vesin. I am quite 
 ready to meet him. ... I have known him for 
 twenty years. He does not inspire me with fear, 
 either in a civil or legal capacity. " 
 
 " When would you like to see him? " 
 
 " The sooner the better. " 
 
 Marenval took out his watch. 
 
 "At five o'clock he will have left the Law Courts. 
 Shall we call on him now? " 
 
 "Very good idea." 
 
 " Rue de Matignon," said Marenval to the cabman. 
 
 When Tragomer said to his companion that he was 
 not afraid of Pierre de Vesin in either his civil or 
 legal capacity, he knew of whom he was speaking. 
 He was a type of the modern magistrate, this attor- 
 ney of forty years of age, handsome, witty, very 
 eloquent and skilled in legal questions, but entirely 
 forgetting his serious functions and duties when in 
 society, and caring only to enjoy life among witty 
 men and charming women. A bachelor, rich, pas- 
 sionately fond of the beautiful, associated with all 
 the remarkable painters and celebrated litterateurs 
 in Paris, Pierre de Vesin 's splendid rooms formed a 
 brilliant center on Sundays, when talented artistes 
 of every description met one another in perfect inti- 
 macy. 
 
 The dinners in the Rue de Matignon were well 
 known. Only men were invited there. A few soci- 
 
 133 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 ety women, attracted by the tales they heard, made 
 desperate attempts to obtain admission. All in 
 vain ; orders were always rigidly adhered to, and the 
 epicureans who dined with this enlightened host 
 never had their peace of mind disturbed by the com- 
 pany of women. 
 
 Pierre de Vesin, who had left the law courts an 
 hour ago, was seated by the fireside, quietly reading, 
 when his servant announced Tragomer and Maren- 
 val. The magistrate laid down his book, passed 
 into the salon, and, with hand outstretched toward 
 his visitors, said : " Welcome, my dear viscount, and 
 you, my cousin; what favorable wind has blown 
 you this way? " 
 
 " We wish to speak to you in your capacity as a 
 magistrate," said Marenval gravely. 
 
 " You do not expect me to change my costume, 
 like Master Jacques, I suppose," said the lawyer 
 with a smile. "Come into my study, we shall be 
 more comfortable there. " 
 
 Conducting them into the room he had just left, 
 he pointed to a couple of arm-chairs, and said : 
 
 " Take a seat. Have you committed some crime 
 or other? Do I see a pair of culprits before me? " 
 
 "No. Let your conscience be at peace," replied 
 Tragomer. " We have not come here on our behalf. 
 It concerns an unhappy man in whose fate we are 
 interested. " 
 
 The magistrate looked at them gravely. His in- 
 telligent face, with black beard in which a few silver 
 streaks already showed themselves, and reflective 
 eyes, were instantly all attention. He said : 
 
 134 
 
STEP BY STEP AGAINST ERROR 
 
 "Well! I am listening." 
 
 " In the first place, my dear friend, do you remem- 
 ber the principal features in the trial of Jacques de 
 Fr^neuse? " 
 
 "I remember more than the principal features, 
 I can recall all the details," said Vesin. "My col- 
 league, Fr^mart, who was on duty at the Assizes, 
 and should have filled the part of public prosecutor, 
 was unwell. He was suffering from gout. Accord- 
 ingly I was instructed to study the cases to be tried 
 during that fortnight, so that I might be ready to 
 take Fr6mart's place in case he found it impossible 
 to attend the court in the middle of the session. In 
 this way I examined the Fr^neuse brief. I studied 
 it with the greater interest as I, like the rest of you, 
 had met this 3-oung man in society and entertained 
 considerable sympathy for his family. I did not 
 know him intimately enough to withdraw, but suffi- 
 ciently well to make an ardent attempt to throw 
 some light on this extraordinary event. I had no 
 opportunity to speak, for which I was very thank- 
 ful. It would have been very painful for me to 
 speak against this young man, and I should have 
 done so without pity, for I had quite convinced my- 
 self of his guilt." 
 
 "Ah!" said Tragomer. "You had found the 
 proof of Fr^neuse's guilt in the brief? " 
 
 " Overwhelming proof, my dear friend. More 
 complete proof would not be possible, were it not the 
 confession of his crime by the culprit himself." 
 
 " Then you have no doubt that he was justly sen- 
 tenced? " 
 
 135 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Certainly not. I can not doubt. It would be 
 mad of me to say otherwise. And I must add that 
 Pr^mart, with whom I spoke of the matter, was of 
 the same opinion as myself. The Attorney-General 
 also. It was only through a sentimental concession 
 of the jury, due to the prisoner's elegant appearance, 
 his protests and tears, the admirable dignity of his 
 mother's deposition, and the honorable position of 
 the family, that extenuating circumstances were 
 alleged, which saved the poor fellow's life. But for 
 these he would have been condemned to death. The 
 court was so fixed in its conviction that it would not 
 have diminished the penalty — it would have de- 
 manded the death of the guilty man." 
 
 "Well, my dear friend," said Tragomer, "it would 
 doubly regret it to-day. And this is a very forcible 
 argument against the death penalty, for it would 
 have sent an innocent man to the scaffold." 
 
 "Come, come, Tragomer," said the magistrate 
 with a roguish smile. " Do not jump to conclusions. 
 It is easy to declare a condemned man innocent, but 
 less easy to prove that he was not guilty." 
 
 " And yet that is what Marenval and myself have 
 undertaken." 
 
 Pierre de Vesin looked with considerable curiosity 
 at his two visitors, became serious, and said : 
 
 "Ah, ah! You two? Society men, who know 
 nothing about legal procedure; quite sincere, I 
 am certain, but foreign to all intrigue. And why 
 this resolution, I beg of you? In the name of what? 
 In what interest? " 
 
 Marenval spoke, in very simple words: 
 136 
 
STEP BY STEP AGAINST ERROR 
 
 " In the name of humanity. In the interest of jus- 
 tice." 
 
 The magistrate had no mean knowledge of men. 
 He was well acquainted with Marenval, whom he 
 had always looked upon as of rather mean intellect, 
 of no importance outside of commerce, very mate- 
 rial, and anxious rather to enjoy his immense for- 
 tune than to employ it in a manner calculated to 
 bring him credit. He had seen him withdraw from 
 the Fr^neuse family at the very time he ought to 
 have shown practical sympathy with them. The 
 lack of heroism on the part of the former tradesman 
 had not modified his opinion as to human generosity. 
 He pricked up his ears when he heard him speak in 
 such a resolute and noble fashion. For Marenval to 
 be so decided and categorical there must be some 
 solid foundation to this new conviction of his. 
 
 " Then you believe a miscarriage of justice has oc- 
 curred? " he said, carefully looking at the two friends. 
 
 " We do. The family has never ceased to believe 
 this, the accused man has always protested his inno- 
 cence. " 
 
 " It is always, or almost always, so. We should 
 spend our whole life in revising trials if the demands 
 of relatives and protests of innocence on the part 
 of the condemned were listened to. Confession of 
 crime is rare. It may astonish you, but things are 
 at times so strange in legal affairs that we have had 
 prisoners at the bar pleading ' guilty ' when they 
 were innocent. But this is only an exception, con- 
 firming the rule, as the grammar says." 
 
 "And yet," resumed Tragomer, "you will agree 
 137 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 with me that it may appear extraordinary for a man 
 to be condemned for the murder of a woman when 
 that woman is still living and in good health? " 
 
 This time the magistrate made no attempt to curb 
 his incredulity. With a pitying gesture he said in 
 very gentle tones: 
 
 " Come, my dear friend, we must not fall into ro- 
 mantic complications. How do you expect to have 
 a lawyer in the Assize Court like myself admit that 
 an examining magistrate could have sent before the 
 Court of Indictment, and the latter before the As- 
 size Court, an accused man unless a crime had been 
 committed? You forget that I have seen the brief, 
 the report stating the particulars of the murder, the 
 report of the inquest, the examination of the accused, 
 who did not deny that he was in presence of his mis- 
 tress's corpse, and then everything else confirming 
 his guilt ! Come ! we are not children. Let us have 
 no more idle stories. " 
 
 " There is only one thing I can say," said Trago- 
 mer. " Jacques Fr^neuse has been condemned for 
 having killed L^a Pirelli, and Lea Pirelli is living.'' 
 
 " Have you seen her? " asked the magistrate in a 
 tone of raillery. 
 
 " I have spoken to her," replied Tragomer gravely. 
 
 " Oh ! oh ! " said Pierre de Vesin, " when was that? " 
 
 " About three months ago. " 
 
 " Where? " 
 
 " In San Francisco. " 
 
 "And she confessed herself to be L^a Pirelli?" 
 
 " No, indeed, she did something better ; she took 
 to flight to escape investigation. Had she re- 
 
 138 
 
STEP BY STEP AGAINST ERROR 
 
 mained, I might have had my doubts. But she ran 
 away. This, in my eyes, is the most conclusive 
 proof." 
 
 " You have been the victim of a resemblance." 
 
 "No, no! It was L^a herself! What pains she 
 has taken to change her name, disguise her voice, 
 cease speaking French, and allow her hair to re- 
 turn to its natural color, or to wear a wig ! Then, 
 finally, the terror she experienced at seeing me, 
 causing her to flee from me as she did. ... It was, 
 indeed, L^a Pirelli!" 
 
 " Then who was the poor woman found dead, who 
 was interred in her place, after a post-mortem exam- 
 ination? " 
 
 "I will tell you some day; at present I do not 
 know." 
 
 " Ah ! Here is the break in the chain of evidence ! " 
 exclaimed the magistrate. " It is always so. In all 
 these affairs connected with the reestablishing of 
 innocence there is a point at which everything be- 
 comes disordered, and where the argument upheld 
 is seen to be very improbable. Look at the Le- 
 surques affair. What efforts were made to obtain 
 redress of injury! There are people who believe 
 that Lesurques had a double. The family, or 
 what remains of it — for all this is very old — still 
 maintains that the condemned man was innocent ; 
 they discuss, investigate, furnish proofs, and every- 
 thing goes well until the moment when Lesurques 's 
 silver spur is found at Lieusaint, and then, crash! 
 everything falls to pieces. With no more reason- 
 able proofs to bring forward, we reach a climax 
 
 139 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 where to win the case one must wait. It will be the 
 same in this affair. You will build up a scaffolding 
 which will rise easily to a certain height, then the 
 perpendicular will be lost and everything will come 
 falling down." 
 
 "You are terribly skeptical," said Marenval, con- 
 siderably moved. 
 
 " That is my profession," replied Vesin. " We are 
 not supposed to believe every tale we hear. We 
 should come to a fine pass if we were to believe blindly 
 everything related to us. Living is the very essence 
 of humanity. Do you think it is for nothing that 
 witnesses are obliged to swear that they will tell the 
 whole truth and nothing but the truth under penalty 
 of penal servitude? It is well known that even thus, 
 in spite of everything, they will only say what they 
 wish or are able to say. One must believe in part 
 and disbelieve in part. Some are fools, the rest 
 are of evil intent. As for the children, everything 
 from them may be feared. They are a prey to a 
 kind of inventive hysteria which forces them to re- 
 late tales — false, the greater part of the time. Ac- 
 cordingly, we must be specially on our guard against 
 them. Skepticism in a magistrate is the begin- 
 ning of wisdom." 
 
 " Still you admit, all the same, that justice may be 
 mistaken? " 
 
 " Between ourselves, in strict intimacy, I do admit 
 it," said Vesin laughingly. " But in public I would 
 not admit it at all. I am well aware that justice 
 is represented with a bandage over the eyes, but 
 this travesty returns to the category of accesso- 
 
 140 
 
STEP BY STEP AGAINST ERROR 
 
 ries, which are of no value except for the poets. 
 Justice, which after all is an arbitrary power, ought 
 to be immutable and infallible, without which it is 
 impossible to enforce it. You see at once where we 
 are marching if the respect for justice is not the 
 corner-stone of society — straight to anarchy. That 
 is why it is impossible to admit that justice is in the 
 wrong. The litigant who has exhausted all the steps 
 of jurisdiction, and who has failed, has twenty-four 
 hours in which to curse his judges. Afterward he 
 must submit. The condemned man, whose appeal 
 has been rejected, can only bend beneath the weight 
 of the sentence pronounced. That is the magis- 
 trate's opinion; he could not have any other. This 
 will explain the resistance the administration has 
 always offered to a demand for revision of the 
 law. All authentication of error, however rare, 
 seriously threatens the judicial edifice. The precau- 
 tions taken by the law are numerous and circum- 
 stantial. All demands for revision must pass along 
 a draw-plate, where they are obliged to remain behind 
 — unless they are as strong as steel — and when they 
 do finally issue, it is after delays and under such 
 conditions that nothing is granted, so to speak. 
 Present legislation, all the same, is far more liberal 
 than the former. In bygone times, unless another 
 accused had been condemned by another sentence 
 for the same crime, no revision was possible. If the 
 innocence of a condemned man were recognized, the 
 poor fellow had to be pardoned. There was no other 
 means of releasing him from prison." 
 
 "But that was monstrous!" exclaimed Marenval. 
 141 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " What ! an unhappy man, unjustly prosecuted, who 
 had undergone the torture of arrest, examination, 
 sentence, which had formed a part of his penalty, 
 could only benefit by a measure of clemency, not by 
 an act of justice? Instead of having justice meted 
 out to him, he was granted a pardon." 
 
 " That was already an improvement. Nowadays a 
 new fact of such a nature as will establish the inno- 
 cence of the accused is sufficient to enable the revi- 
 sion to be asked for. In the case in hand, it would 
 be the existence of L6a Pirelli." 
 
 " Is not that sufficient? " 
 
 " It would be sufficient, if established. But how 
 will you establish it? Your declaration will have 
 nothing to rest upon. It will only avail as an opin- 
 ion. Compared with all the testimony and proofs 
 furnished by the trial, it will be of very slight weight. 
 I give you my opinion as you have asked for it. 
 Doubtless it is not encouraging, but I must be sin- 
 cere. " 
 
 "You may speak fully, and with perfect frank- 
 ness," said Tragomer. " My mind is made up ; noth- 
 ing will change me. I may modify my method of 
 procedure to reach the goal Marenval and I are 
 marching toward, but nothing will be strong enough 
 to turn us aside from our set purpose. There would 
 be no more rest for us if we abandoned the cause of 
 this unhappy man, convinced, as we are, of his inno- 
 cence." 
 
 " You both appear to me to be animated by the 
 noblest of intentions, but also the most inconsiderate 
 — if I may say so. Your argument, based on the 
 
 143 
 
STEP BY STEP AGAINST ERROR 
 
 resemblance of a living woman with Fr^neuse's vic- 
 tim, is very fragile, since you have no other reasons 
 than sentimental ones to offer against my objections 
 — such as the grief of the family, the protests of the 
 condemned man. Are you forgetting that when 
 Jacques de Fr^neuse was arrested he was making 
 preparations to start abroad? He had on his per- 
 son 40,000 francs which he could not account for. 
 It was well known that he was ruined, head over 
 ears in debt. The previous night he had paid in 
 50,000 francs to the club, when just on the point of 
 being exposed. L^a Pirelli's jewels, too — strange 
 coincidence — which were known to be of great value, 
 had disappeared. Investigation is made, and it is 
 proved that they have been pawned for 100,000 
 francs. But they only remained a couple of days in 
 pledge. The next morning but one they were re- 
 deemed by a woman wearing a mask, probably on 
 account of one of the numerous purchasers of pawn- 
 tickets, who swarm in Paris. Fr^neuse acknowl- 
 edged that it was he who had pawned the jewels, 
 which, he said, had been voluntarily given up to him 
 by his mistress. But he denied the sale of the 
 pledges, which he pretended to have returned to L6a 
 Pirelli with a note for 100,000 francs, which his fam- 
 ily, he alleged, would certainly have discharged, and 
 which, he supposed, freed him from his debt toward 
 that girl. Now, the note was presented when due. 
 Accordingly, Jacques de Fr6neuse had evidently 
 taken back the note after the murder. Probably he 
 killed the woman with the sole purpose of securing 
 the note. And it was he who put it in circulation 
 
 143 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 the very morning following. For, it must be ob- 
 served, a whole day lapsed between the discovery 
 of the crime and the arrest. Do you dream of try- 
 ing to set in motion the whole judicial machine, 
 through confidence in a resemblance, more or less 
 certain? It is sheer madness! From the very out- 
 set you will meet with material difficulties and moral 
 impossibilities so serious that you will be forced to 
 stop at once." 
 
 "If I wished to disciiss," replied Tragomer, "I 
 might do so; and, perhaps, more easily than you 
 may imagine. But what is the use? It would only 
 be an exchange of empty words. It would be vain 
 for me to supply you with acceptable arguments — 
 you would not admit them. What is required is to 
 bring you the proof that L^a Pirelli is living. The 
 important thing is to prove to Jacques that she whom 
 he considered dead is still alive. Do not forget that 
 it is through faith in your affirmations that he be- 
 lieves her dead. He has had no doubt of your 
 proofs. You have shown him a woman, half-disfig- 
 ured, possessed of the form, hair, clothes, and rings 
 of L^a Pirelli. Overwhelmed by anguish, and 
 blinded by grief, he scarcely cast an affrighted glance 
 on the victim, lying stretched out on that horrible 
 slab in the Morgue. Turning away his head, he 
 acquiesced in everything he was told. How could 
 he have denied the evidence? Was the L^a found 
 dead at her home any other than his L^a? He could 
 only say one thing, and this he cried out most pathet- 
 ically, that he was not the assassin. Caught in the 
 snares of the examination, overwhelmed by a mass of 
 
 144 
 
STEP BY STEP AGAINST ERROR 
 
 evidence, the revelation of an atrociously skilful hand, 
 he could do nothing but protest. This he did madly, 
 the whole time, until he ended by exasperating both 
 judges and jury. For the poor fellow appeared to 
 be cynical when he was only innocent. If all who 
 had to formulate an opinion as to his guilt had not 
 been influenced by the examination — had they re- 
 flected for a moment on the frightful resemblance 
 existing between the indignant stupefaction of a 
 prisoner before the bar incapable of proving his in- 
 nocence and the the hardened insolence of a guilty 
 man who obstinately denies his crime — they would 
 have hesitated when pronouncing sentence. Preju- 
 diced, however, as they were — sure beforehand of a 
 guilt attested to by men in whom they had a well- 
 merited confidence — they were all disposed to con- 
 demn, and they did condemn in accordance with 
 their conscience. When they are shown the living 
 woman, they will be obliged to confess that they 
 have been mistaken. Then a search to discover 
 who the dead woman was will be made. And it is 
 probable that an atrocious plot to ruin an unhappy 
 man will be brought to light." 
 
 " My dear friend," said the magistrate, " all this is 
 romance, not reality. You are dreaming, wide 
 awake. That will pass away. But permit me to say 
 that if, by a stroke of good luck, you succeed in col- 
 lecting sufficient proof of what you now advance in 
 so bold a fashion, you may flatter yourself that you 
 will produce no ordinary sensation. The social rank 
 of the condemned man, the attention the affair cre- 
 ated, the personality of the chevaliers who under- 
 10 145 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 took to right the injustice, would give the case quite 
 a special interest. I should then be very glad to wit- 
 ness your triumph. But do not forget that I scarcely 
 believe this will happen, and that I have predicted 
 that you will receive a practically certain check." 
 
 "Well! " said Tragomer, "if the attempt is vain, 
 we shall at least have tried to succeed. And that 
 will be something to relieve our minds, will it not, 
 Marenval? " 
 
 " Yes, my dear friend. What Vesin has just said 
 fixes my decision. I hesitated somewhat, I must 
 confess, even after the assurances you had given me. 
 But, really, the infallibility of justice is a dogma as 
 impossible to admit as the infallibility of the Pope. 
 No person, no thing in the world is infallible. This, 
 with your help, I will attempt to prove. There will 
 be material difficulties, but I have the money nec- 
 essary to smooth them over. There will also be 
 moral obstacles, but you have the necessary intel- 
 ligence to overcome them. My money and your 
 brain will strive in friendly emulation. And we 
 shall see whether or not, in the times in which 
 we are living, there still exist bastiles at the foun- 
 dation of which prejudices, obstinacies, and error 
 can be sheltered from examination and discussion. 
 What! We have reached a point at which the So- 
 cialists pretend that to-morrow they will take from 
 me all I possess ; and amid such a universal destruc- 
 tion of all kinds of rights, authorities, and hierarchies, 
 shall justice alone remain unassailable? Nonsense! 
 If it is to be respected, it must be human, otherwise 
 it will be swept away like the rest." 
 
 146 
 
STEP BY STEP AGAINST ERROR 
 
 " Bravo, Marenval ! " exclaimed Vesin. " You are 
 becoming quite eloquent. On to the fight, my val- 
 iant hero! My best wishes and prayers are with 
 you. You have retired from business ; the enterprise 
 to which you are devoting yourself will occupy your 
 entire attention. That is better than playing at 
 poker or baccarat. If you need advice, I shall be 
 only too glad to give it you, for I should be sorry if 
 you considered me impregnable against reason or 
 pity. But, remember, the struggle you are entering 
 upon is that of the earthen pot against the iron ket- 
 tle. I have spoken to you as a friend; address 
 yourself to any magistrate whatever. According to 
 the temper he is in, he will tell you ironically to go 
 through the whole necessary routine, by approaching 
 the Keeper of the Seals, or else will indignantly de- 
 clare that you are issuing a challenge to justice." 
 
 "It is this very challenge that we are issuing!" 
 exclaimed Marenval. 
 
 " But we do not intend to approach any other than 
 j'ourself. I wanted to speak to some competent per- 
 son before thoroughly embarking into the matter. I 
 can well understand, notwithstanding your kind wel- 
 come and the cordiality of your words, that at every 
 step we shall meet with a resistance at once profes- 
 sional and systematic. The magistracy will not let go 
 its prey. That is its principle, and, at the same time, 
 a safeguard for society. Every accused man ought to 
 become a condemned man, and every condemned 
 man to remain guilty. Very good. I now know all 
 I wanted, and shall act in consequence." 
 
 147 
 
Chapter XI 
 
 A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO RESCUE JACQUES 
 DE FR^EUSE 
 
 " Might I ask what you are going to do? " said the 
 lawyer inquisitively. 
 
 "We must understand each other well," said 
 Tragomer. " Up to the present I have spoken to the 
 magistrate. Now I will only speak to the man, to 
 the friend. Any act of indiscretion on what Maren- 
 val and I are about to attempt might have such 
 grave consequences that we should be mad if we 
 laid ourselves open to betrayal." 
 
 Pierre de Vesin looked at the two companions with 
 anxious gravity. 
 
 " Do you doubt me? Must I ask you to say noth- 
 ing further after soliciting your confidence? " 
 
 " No," said Tragomer, " and in proof of our confi- 
 dence in you I will explain everything." 
 
 " I, too, give you my word of honor that I will im- 
 mediately forget what you tell me." 
 
 They shook hands affectionately, after which Tra- 
 gomer took a cigarette, and began as calmly as 
 tho he had been giving an account of a pleasure 
 party. 
 
 " You understand, that our great concern is not 
 148 
 
RESCUE OF JACQUES DE FRENEUSE 
 
 to alarm the real culprits, for if by ill luck they 
 became informed of our plans, they would take every 
 precaution, and nothing could be done. If L6a. 
 Pirelli disappeared, everything would be lost. Be- 
 sides, I can well imagine that the rascal who worked 
 out the trap in which Jacques de Fr^neuse was 
 caught would be quite capable of ridding himself of 
 her, if he saw the necessity for such a course. Ac- 
 cordingly, all public pursuit of claim is impossible for 
 the moment. Had you shown me the legal machine 
 ready to work in the revision of the trial — had you 
 proved to me the kindly interest of the Keeper of 
 the Seals, I would still have refrained, at present, 
 from appealing to justice in the matter, or submit- 
 ting new facts such as might render revision a neces- 
 sity. At the very first rumor all our proofs would 
 disappear, and we should find ourselves disarmed. 
 The principal thing is to have the culprits in our 
 power without any possibility of their escape. Then 
 we shall advance. So, you see, we have inquiries to 
 make, a prosecution to work out, and perhaps even 
 more serious resolutions to take; who knows? But 
 this will depend on how events turn out. In the 
 first place, we must put ourselves in touch with 
 Jacques de Fr^neuse, to inform him of the fact that 
 Lea Pirelli is alive, and, with him, to judge, after a 
 long and deliberative interview, the consequences 
 this unexpected fact may bring to light." 
 
 " You intend to start for Noumea? " exclaimed 
 Vesin, overcome by uncontrollable astonishment. 
 
 " We intend to start for Noumea," declared Maren- 
 val coldly. 
 
 149 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "There," said Tragomer, "we will arrange our 
 plans with Fr6neuse without the administration be- 
 ing able to guess our projects. Writing would have 
 been too dangerous. Letters received by the con- 
 victs are opened and their replies read. Accord- 
 ingly, we shall study the situation viva voce, and 
 shall draw from it such conclusions as are required. " 
 
 "Tragomer, you are not telling me everything," 
 exclaimed the magistrate excitedly. " You still mis- 
 trust me. You intend to help Jacques de Freneuse 
 to escape." 
 
 Tragomer made no reply ; he merely smiled, but 
 Marenval sat upright and said, with extraordinary 
 energy and passion : 
 
 " Well, suppose it were so? Do you think that if 
 we are certain this poor fellow is innocent, we shall 
 let him perish slowly in the horrors of your bagnios? 
 Certainly we shall carry him off. Since we are ma- 
 king the voyage, we may well allow ourselves this 
 slight distraction." 
 
 " But there are guards, a regular garrison, a vigi- 
 lant patrol-boat," said Vesin. "It is downright 
 madness. If you are caught, you will incur fearful 
 responsibilities. And be sure that, if they catch you, 
 they will hold your life of little value." 
 
 " That is our business, " declared Marenval. " You 
 must know, my dear friend, that we are not flinging 
 ourselves into such an adventure without being pre- 
 pared to sacrifice our lives. Still, Tragomer and 
 myself have quite made up our minds to defend our- 
 selves." 
 
 " Not a word more. In my opinion you must be 
 150 
 
RESCUE OF JACQUES DE FRfiNEUSE 
 
 mad. It is 'Monte Cristo ' over again. You are 
 half a century behind the times, my friends. From 
 the outset you will be opposed by such difficulties 
 that you will never continue in your enterprise. 
 Take my word for it, your only hope is in a legal 
 interpolation. Write a memorandum, address it to 
 the Minister. A police inquiry, well carried out, 
 might " 
 
 " Ruin everything in a moment," interrupted Tra- 
 gomer. " I know with whom I have to deal. We 
 must proceed very discreetly, or we shall fail." 
 
 " And we intend to succeed ! " exclaimed Marenval. 
 
 " How do you intend to travel to New Cale- 
 donia? " 
 
 " On a yacht we shall charter. We must have at 
 our disposal the best and most rapid means of action 
 possible. " 
 
 " And you will introduce yourselves to the colonial 
 authorities? " 
 
 "As tourists." 
 
 " Ah ! ah ! " said the magistrate, as tho in a 
 reverie. " This is one of the most extraordinary 
 things I have heard of for a long time. People say 
 that the end of the century is exclusively practical, 
 egotistic, and a foe to all sentiment. Here is some- 
 thing to furnish our latter-day philosophers with 
 food for reflection. What will be said by those who 
 assure us that individual energy is dead in France? 
 Here we are in the presence of one of those cases of 
 exaltation only met with in stirring revolutionary 
 times. What you are about to attempt is rash to 
 such a degree that you are quite capable of success. 
 
 151 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 After all, it is only unlikely enterprises that have 
 any chance of success. What is simple and com- 
 monplace is foreseen; one is on one's guard against 
 the routine of probable events. But such a mad 
 freebooter's enterprise, prepared and carried out by 
 
 calm men in cold blood Ah ! There is nothing 
 
 to prove that you will not succeed. When do you 
 expect to start?" 
 
 " As soon as possible. After making our prepara- 
 tions we shall cross over to England. " 
 
 " Will you charter an English ship? " 
 
 " Yes ; a privateer captain and a French crew shall 
 share our responsibility. We do not mind compro- 
 mising ourselves, but ourselves only." 
 
 They had risen to leave. Twilight filled the room, 
 and in the semi-obscurity their countenances lost 
 their real aspect. Marenval shuddered. He seemed 
 to be in the presence of specters. A feeling of an- 
 guish filled his heart, and a sensation of giddiness 
 came over him, when he heard Vesin say in solemn 
 tones : 
 
 " In truth, the matter is a very serious one. It 
 will be an Assize Court case for those who allow 
 themselves to be caught, and if by ill luck a man 
 dies " 
 
 " Oh ! we will try to do everything quietly, " said 
 Marenval, in a tremulous voice. 
 
 " In any case, even if you spare the lives of others 
 each of you risks his own. The regulations are not 
 by any means mild in penitentiary colonies, and the 
 restraints are severe. " 
 
 " We know what we are risking, " said Tragomer. 
 152 
 
RESCUE OF JACQUES DE FRENEUSE 
 
 " We are acting under considerations which can not 
 be compared with the risks to be run." 
 
 "And nothing will force us to draw out of it 
 now," stammered Marenval. 
 
 " Forsooth !" exclaimed Vesin, "if I were not re- 
 strained by my professional engagements, if I were 
 free, I would set off with you, simply for the voyage. 
 But you will agree with me that a lawyer would per- 
 haps be somewhat out of place in such an expedition. " 
 
 " I think so," said Tragomer; "but do not be dis- 
 couraged, we will bring you back a collection of pho- 
 tographs. " 
 
 Thus this grave conversation ended in a jest. 
 Vesin turned on the electricity, and the whole room 
 was flooded with light, which caused the gilt picture- 
 frames to sparkle and threw dazzling reflections on 
 enamels and fine porcelain. All this modern luxury, 
 suddenly revealed in the light that had burst on 
 them, formed so complete a contrast with the plans 
 developed in the dreamlike obscurity that had pre- 
 ceded it that the three men stared at one another, 
 as tho they needed confirmation of the reality of 
 their presence. Tragomer, however, smiled reassur- 
 ingly, and in the brilliant light Marenval regained 
 all his courage. 
 
 "We shall see one another in four months," said 
 Vesin, " for you will be back in Paris before then. 
 In the mean time, if I can be of any service to you, 
 I shall be only too glad to help you." 
 
 " My dear friend, if we succeed we shall return 
 with our hands so full of proofs that it will be impos- 
 sible to refuse us justice. " 
 
 153 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Amen ! " said the magistrate. " A pleasant voy- 
 age and a quick return." Holding out his hand, he 
 said : " You may be a couple of madcaps, but your 
 project is anything but ordinary, and from my heart 
 I admire you." 
 
 "My dear friend," said Tragomer, "I am risking 
 the enterprise because I love Mademoiselle de Fre- 
 neuse, and in trying to reinstate her brother I am 
 working for myself. Therefore, any merit that may 
 attach itself to me is indeed slight. The real hero 
 is Marenval, for he is devoting himself to honor 
 alone." 
 
 At these words, which deeply touched him, Maren- 
 val turned pale, tears filled his eyes, and he made an 
 effort to speak, but without success ; he stood there 
 trembling with emotion before his two friends. 
 Finally, he shook his head, heaved a sigh which was 
 almost a sob, and throwing himself into his rela- 
 tive's arms, said: 
 
 " Good-by, Vesin. You know now what to think 
 of me. If I am attacked, and am no longer in a po- 
 sition to defend myself, come to my help. Do not 
 let them treat me as an imbecile. " Then with a wild 
 look, he again said, " Good-by. " 
 
 And taking Tragomer by the arm, he left the 
 house as tho he were going to his doom. 
 
 154 
 
Chapter XII 
 
 CRITICAL INTERVIEWS 
 
 Mr. Harvey owned one of the finest private hotels 
 on the United States Square. He had considered it 
 patriotic to fix his abode on this square, because it was 
 named after his country. It was a pleasure for him 
 to say that he was at once in Paris and in America. 
 He would, however, have returned home long ago, 
 had not his daughter energetically declared that 
 under no pretext would she consent to leave Europe. 
 Then the father had said to his daughter : 
 
 " My dear child, if you will have your own way, 
 then marry. I, too, have a will of my own, and I 
 intend to live, if possible, in a way not altogether 
 disagreeable to me." 
 
 " How can it be disagreeable to remain in coun- 
 tries that contain everything calculated to make life 
 perfectly happy? " 
 
 " I am not perfectly happy if I do not live in 
 America at least six months every year." 
 
 "I believe you are still a regular Indian." And 
 Harvey had answered this pertinent remark of his 
 daughter's with an indulgent smile : 
 
 " Very possibly. I really believe I am. " 
 155 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "Then I shall marry, since that will make life 
 easier for both of us. " 
 
 " Whom will you marry, my dear? A European 
 or an American? " 
 
 "A European; very probably a Frenchman." 
 
 "Ah! a society man. I see." 
 
 " Certainly. My brothers supply as much clownish 
 company as I require. I want to live with some one 
 who is well bred." 
 
 " You are perfectly free." 
 
 " I know. You, too, will be free afterward. " 
 
 The squatter, who had spent so much energy in 
 building up a fortune and raising ranchos, where 
 hundreds of thousands of oxen grazed on the thick 
 grass of the Indian prairie, had never been able to 
 resist the will of Miss Maud. And as he was above 
 all practical, he ended by obeying her. This course 
 did away with discussions and simplified their re- 
 lations toward each other. In America it was a 
 strange sight to see these Harveys, father and sons, 
 yield to every whim of this frail, dark-complexioned 
 girl. Miss Maud had more ideas in her head than 
 the brains of all her brothers could have furnished. 
 This young girl's will recalled her father's tenacity 
 of character, modified by a slight nervousness which 
 attested the refined manners of her sex. Harvey 
 knew this, and was amused at it. He would ac- 
 knowledge it and say : 
 
 " My three sons together can not be compared with 
 their sister. If nature had not made a mistake by 
 creating her a girl, my fortune would have been in- 
 creased tenfold. These young men will be able to 
 
 156 
 
CRITICAL INTERVIEWS 
 
 do nothing but share it." As a further proof of the 
 affection and high esteem in which he held her, he 
 said: 
 
 " My daughter spends money well." 
 
 By that he meant that Maud could be lavish when 
 circumstances rendered it necessary, but was actually 
 economical in the ordinary course of life. For a 
 year he had been with her in France, and was be- 
 coming bored in a superior kind of way. He under- 
 stood nothing of the minutiae and finesse of Parisian 
 life. Accustomed always to express his opinion of 
 things in very direct way, he created considerable 
 astonishment by giving vent to sentiments in them- 
 selves as strange as the words in which they were 
 couched. The moral frankness of this Yankee was 
 out of harmony with the subtle hypocrisy of the so- 
 ciety in which he lived. When he spoke without 
 giving due thought to his words the cries and pro- 
 tests of his startled audience conveyed the impres- 
 sion that he was firing revolver shots into a pigeon- 
 house. 
 
 He was so rich that he had been welcomed eagerly 
 everywhere. Society in Paris is no longer closed. 
 The economic changes introduced into France dur- 
 ing the last thirty years have so modified the fortunes 
 of the aristocracy, devoted through pride to a state of 
 idleness, that they have found themselves incapable 
 of living on their incomes, and have accordingly been 
 compelled to understand that concessions must be 
 made to money. A preliminary social revolution, in 
 the sense of the leveling of castes, has been effected, 
 and is nothing but the prelude to that complete and 
 
 157 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 rapid fusion about to come into operation between 
 the bourgeoise and the nobility under the power of 
 money. In the near future there will be only two 
 classes — those who do and those who do not own 
 property. And it is between these two classes, in 
 which the different factions of French society will 
 become unified, that the struggle, already engaged 
 in for centuries, for the possession of authority, 
 by means of wealth and intelligence, will take 
 place. 
 
 In a society so open to the influence of money, 
 in which the foreign colony is quite at home, 
 Harvey could not help being well received. He 
 gave receptions, owned a yacht, was capable of lend- 
 ing five hundred napoleons without ever asking for 
 them back, his daughter was elegant, original, and 
 dowered in princely fashion. This was more than 
 was needed to bring him into favor. He had been 
 admitted into the Automobile Club, and was an in- 
 fluential member of the Guide Society and the Yacht 
 Union. Nevertheless, he was bored to death. To 
 this " Indian," as his daughter called him, the atmos- 
 phere of the salons was stifling. He yawned away 
 his evenings at the opera, and with equal indifference 
 won or lost at poker, and was never himself except 
 when seated on his four-in-hand, handling four 
 Kentucky horses, or on board his 1,200-ton yacht, 
 a regular transatlantic, manned by a crew of sixty 
 sailors, and armed with six guns, with which he 
 might have defended himself, tho they were used 
 only for saluting whenever entering harbor. 
 
 From the first he had felt an antipathy toward the 
 158 
 
CRITICAL INTERVIEWS 
 
 Count de Sorfege. This icy cold, circumspect dip- 
 lomat, who never said a third of what he thought, 
 and never looked one straight in the face, was ex- 
 tremely distasteful to him. Sorfege's nature was the 
 exact antithesis of his own. The day his daughter 
 had told him she was engaged to this young noble- 
 man he had ventured on a few questions: 
 
 " Are you certain, Maud, that Monsieur de Sorfege 
 is the man who will best suit you? Have you studied 
 his disposition, and are you sure that you will not 
 regret having given him your promise?" 
 
 Miss Harvey very calmly explained to her father 
 the reasons which had influenced her choice. 
 
 "Count Jean is of very good family. In this 
 country, as everywhere, father, there are to be found 
 the good and the bad, the true and the false. Not 
 to be deceived by counterfeit goods is wise. It is 
 well known that we Americans are sadly lacking in 
 knowledge. People are constantly trying to foist 
 on us copied paintings, made-up tapestry, artificial 
 trinkets, and pseudo-noblemen. Consequently, we 
 must be_ very particular, and inquire into and test 
 everything so as not to have palmed off on us the 
 imitation for the reality. This is what I have done. 
 Monsieur de Sorfege is connected with the very best 
 of society; he has a suitable fortune, is an attache 
 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaks English 
 correctly, and is very well bred. These are the 
 reasons that I am engaged to him." 
 
 " He never looks at one straightforwardly, but 
 always just as tho he were a rock owlet. " 
 
 " I assure you he looks me full in the face. " 
 159 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "Can he even ride a horse? He is never seen ex- 
 cept in the salons. " 
 
 " Certainly he is not a gaucho. But he will ac- 
 company us for a ride whenever we invite him. " 
 
 " Does he hunt? " 
 
 "All the French hunt." 
 
 " Can he shoot? " 
 
 " In all probability ; but he is no Buffalo Bill. 
 You don't expect him to go hunting bisons and 
 shooting grizzlies, do you? " 
 
 "I believe this man's strength lies in his head," 
 said Harvey, with disdain, "and that his legs and 
 arms are of very little value." 
 
 " He can speak well, and that suits me. You will 
 have your sons for physical exercise and my husband 
 for intellectual recreation. " 
 
 " Well, well, Maud, you are free ! " 
 
 The squatter received Sorfege with perfect cordial- 
 ity, as it was not his nature to discuss matters al- 
 ready determined. He thumped his knees, heavily 
 enough to shake him had he been a buffalo, and no- 
 ticed, with considerable pleasure, that the young 
 fellow did not wince. Sorfege was also able to stand 
 the cocktail test successfully. He was one of those 
 men who can drink with impunity, because they 
 speak little, and do not bewilder themselves by their 
 own excitement. He could mount the coach, handle 
 the reins properly when Harvey feigned weariness, 
 and turn at full speed with the greatest ease. 
 
 At Havre he boarded the yacht, and showed that he 
 was quite at home on the water. Harvey could not 
 find any fault with him, and was obliged to confess 
 
 1 60 
 
CRITICAL INTERVIEWS 
 
 that he was an all-round sportsman. Yet he did not 
 feel attracted toward him with that feeling of sym- 
 pathy which to him was free and essential. Be- 
 tween Sorfege and himself there seemed always to be 
 a veil, that of the former's eyelids which habitually 
 concealed his glance. 
 
 To test his future son-in-law more thoroughly, 
 Harvey pretended he would have to introduce him to 
 his sons to show him his property and explain his 
 projects, so he took him to America. When they re- 
 turned, Harvey's ideas had undergone no change. 
 He confessed he had no fault to find with Sorfege 
 except that he did not please him. On his return he 
 said to his friend and compatriot, Sam Weller : 
 
 " During the three months we lived with the Count 
 I have never seen him do, nor heard him say anything 
 wrong. Believe me if you like, Sam, but I would 
 have given ten thousand dollars to have caught him 
 swearing, or seizing one of the chambermaids 
 around the waist. But nothing of the kind hap- 
 pened. This man is too perfect; I am afraid of 
 him." 
 
 Possibly the resistance her father opposed to the 
 fiance of her choice had made Miss Harvey smile 
 more encouragingly on the Count's suit. Never had 
 she given evidence of such interest in the projected 
 wedding as when her fiancd returned. To her un- 
 til then Sorfege had been in the eyes of the world 
 nothing but a simple flirt. On his return to Paris 
 the Count was proclaimed as her intended husband. 
 
 It was then that the news of this brilliant union 
 became known in the Paris clubs, and was announced 
 II i6i 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 to Tragomer. The squatter was too popular in fash- 
 ionable society to be unknown to Marenval. The 
 retired tradesman had had an introduction to Harvey, 
 which had been the subject of gossip in the salons 
 for twenty-four hours. They had met at a dinner 
 given by an American lady, well known for the 
 eccentricity of her language and her passion for 
 music. The two men had been introduced to each 
 other by the mistress of the house. 
 
 " Monsieur Marenval, my compatriot, Julius Har- 
 vey." 
 
 The two men had bowed, and Harvey, stretching 
 out his hand to Marenval, said with a broad smile : 
 
 "Ah, Marenval & Co., I suppose. I know you 
 quite well. It is Harvey & Co. who have supplied 
 you with all the pine timber for your packing-cases 
 at Chaminade, in Bordeaux, for the last twenty 
 years. Delighted to make your acquaintance." 
 
 The expression depicted on the countenance of 
 Marenval, whose chief aim was to cause others to 
 forget the source of his fortune, had afforded those 
 present much delight. From this introduction dated 
 the aversion which Cyprien had evidently nourished 
 toward Harvey, and, really, toward all Americans, 
 whom he included in the feelings the squatter had 
 inspired in him. He cast glances of pity on Miss 
 Maud when she passed in front of him in a loud, 
 brisk way, and the idea that one could think of mar- 
 rying a girl of such boyish manners appeared to 
 him utterly incomprehensible. Now that he knew 
 that the Count de Sor^ge was to be th? happy man, 
 he said in sneering tones : 
 
 162 
 
CRITICAL INTERVIEWS 
 
 " What a happy selection. A fine match it will be, 
 a hypocrite with that brazen-faced girl ! " 
 
 Almost on the eve of their departure, Tragomer 
 and Marenval had met Harvey, his daughter, and his 
 future son-in-law at a dinner given by Mrs. Weller. 
 Sorfege was passing the review of the American col- 
 ony, and philosophically underwent all the congratu- 
 lations of his fiancee's compatriots. A slight con- 
 traction of the eyebrow alone showed how vexed 
 he was at seeing Marenval and Tragomer enter the 
 room. However, he smiled in a friendly way, and 
 listened quietly as Harvey explained the commercial 
 relations that formerly existed between the firms 
 of Harvey & Co. and Marenval & Co. 
 
 But when Sam Weller had introduced Tragomer 
 to Miss Maud and spoken of the voyage round the 
 world the young man had just accomplished, Sorfege 
 noticed with vexation that the squatter had con- 
 ceived a sudden interest in Christian. After the 
 dinner, which was a sumptuous one, accompanied 
 with music that rendered all conversation impossi- 
 ble, and reduced the repast to a simple gastronomic 
 exhibition, the guests made their way to the admir- 
 able salons of the Weller Hotel. Sam led the men 
 into the smoking-room. 
 
 There were collected the finest paintings of the 
 modern schools, bought for large sums by the osten- 
 tatious American. Here Delacroix's " Massacre in a 
 Mosque " hung alongside of Decamps's " Apes' Con- 
 cert," and the "Reapers' Lunch," Millet's finest 
 painting, had as its companion Corot's " Dance of 
 the Nymphs." The "Sunset" of Diaz, the "River 
 
 163 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Bank" of Dupr^, and Rousseau's "Grands Bois 
 Rouill^s," contrasted oddly with Troyen's bold pas- 
 ture scenes and Meissonier's unrivaled sketches. 
 Harvey lit a cigar and made his way toward Maren- 
 val and Tragomer, who were seated near Sorfege, to 
 show them his friend's pictures. 
 
 " Sam Weller has a fine gallery, but if ever you 
 visit my home in Dakota, you will see that my pic- 
 tures are the equal of his. The only difference is 
 that I have none but old masters — Rembrandt, 
 Raphael, Titian, Velasquez, Hobb^ma." 
 
 Marenval cast a sly glance at Harvey and said : 
 
 " Those are the easiest to copy." 
 
 " Oh, but I have none but the originals ! " 
 
 " That is what all collectors claim, and the deal- 
 ers never tell them the contrary." 
 
 " But Sam Weller's paintings are all genuine." 
 
 "Indeed!" said Marenval, doubtingly. 
 
 " The artists who have painted them are known. 
 Certain people who saw them painted are still 
 alive." 
 
 " Who has guaranteed your Rembrandts and your 
 Hobbdmas? " asked Marenval ironically. " Perhaps 
 some one living has seen them painted too? " 
 
 "Ah, you Frenchmen are dreadfully skeptical," 
 said Harvey calmly. " But I have bought these pic- 
 tures, and if, after they have hung in my gallery for 
 thirty years, and every one who knows me has seen 
 them there, I should want to sell them, no one will 
 suggest that they are counterfeit, because they come 
 from my house and I am very well known." 
 
 " Ha ! " said Tragomer, " that kind of reasoning is 
 164 
 
CRITICAL INTERVIEWS 
 
 rather appropriate. It is the setting that gives 
 value to the goods. Does not the sole merit of cer- 
 tain pictures bought at a very high price consist in 
 the name of their collector? " 
 
 "You are heaping ridicule on us Americans," re- 
 sumed Harvey, " because we are ingenuous. You 
 look upon us almost as savages who dance with joy 
 at the sight of paltry glass trinkets. There is some 
 basis for your judgment. But this ingenuousness is 
 not permanent. We shall become polished in time, 
 and when we know our own strength we shall be 
 able to do without Europe ; then we shall manufac- 
 ture our own counterfeit pictures. Even in the 
 last twenty years we have taken great strides for- 
 ward. Every year we draw nearer perfection. We 
 are already sending you leather, wood, machines, 
 horses, wheat. Soon we shall supply you with every- 
 thing. " 
 
 "Perhaps even cannon balls; who knows?" said 
 Marenval bitterly. 
 
 "God forbid," replied Harvey. "We should in- 
 deed be ungrateful sons, for we owe everything to 
 Europe, which gave us our very birth, and par- 
 ticularly to France, which helped us obtain our 
 liberty." 
 
 " Nobly spoken, " said Tragomer. 
 
 "In America, we love the French." continued 
 Harvey. 
 
 " Your daughters love them even more than your- 
 selves," interrupted Marenval. 
 
 Harvey smiled. 
 
 "True, the French are a lovable race, delicate 
 165 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 and well bred. They have only one fault ; they are 
 too fond of their country, do not travel enough — 
 one must always go to them. I am not thinking of 
 you, Monsieur de Tragomer, for you are quite a 
 globe-trotter. But you, Marenval, with all your 
 fortune, surely you ought to travel." 
 
 Vanity was Marenval's weak point. He could not 
 resist the temptation of dazzling Harvey, and, with- 
 out measuring the importance of what he was say- 
 ing, he exclaimed: 
 
 " Well, Harvey, your wish will shortly be fulfilled. 
 I am about to start with Monsieur de Tragomer on 
 a voyage over the sea." 
 
 He paused. Christian laid his hand on his arm, 
 and pressed warningly. The Count de Sorege, 
 sitting in an arm-chair calmly smoking, without 
 appearing to attach the slightest importance to the 
 words exchanged near him, had risen and approached 
 the group of which Harvey was the center. The 
 latter, interested by Marenval's thoughtless outburst, 
 asked : 
 
 " Where are you going? " 
 
 Marenval, abashed, made no reply. Tragomer 
 took it on himself to explain matters. 
 
 " Marenval and I have made up our minds to 
 take a trip on the Mediterranean. We shall go as far 
 as Smyrna and return by way of Tunis and Algiers." 
 
 "Ah," said Harvey indulgently, "a fine begin- 
 ning. Monsieur de Tragomer will take care of 
 Marenval. I suppose you already have your sea- 
 legs, Marenval? " 
 
 "I have never been to sea," acknowledged Cyp- 
 
 i66 
 
CRITICAL INTERVIEWS 
 
 rien, " but I do not suppose it is more difficult than 
 some other things." 
 
 " For one who is free to do as he pleases, I tell 
 you, Marenval, there is no sensation to be compared 
 with that of feeling oneself master of his own ship 
 out in midocean between sea and sky. There you 
 are really alone with God. But so far as your inland 
 sea is concerned you will scarcely be out of sight 
 of land. It is as the I were going for a short trip 
 on the Ontario or the Erie. Come aboard my 
 yacht, Marenval, with Monsieur de Tragomer. I will 
 take you where you please. I have long felt a desire 
 to go to Ceylon. Now will be the opportunity." 
 
 "Thank you, Harvey," replied Marenval; "for a 
 preliminary trial, our inland sea, as you disdain- 
 fully call the Mediterranean — a very stormy sea, by 
 the way — will be quite sufficient for me." 
 
 " How will you sail? " asked Harvey. 
 
 "We have a yacht in view," said Tragomer, "the 
 one in which Lord Spydell sailed to the Cape last 
 year. It is a fine little craft of more than i8o 
 feet in length, quite seaworthy, and able to steam 
 twelve knots an hour. The crew comprises twenty- 
 six men. The rigging calls for two masts, which 
 will permit of our setting sail, thus husbanding our 
 stock of coal." 
 
 "Besides, we shall have four fine guns aboard," 
 added Marenval, who seemed determined to speak 
 every time he should have held his tongue. 
 
 " And what do you mean to do with that artillery? " 
 said a jesting voice behind them. " Do you intend 
 to bombard Malta or capture Tripoli? " 
 
 167 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Tragomer turned round. Sorfege stood there 
 smiling enigmatically. 
 
 "Oh," replied Christian. "The guns were there; 
 so we left them. Besides, after all, the sea about 
 Morocco is none too safe. Quite recently a trading 
 vessel was overhauled by pirates. If necessary, we 
 shall be in a position to defend ourselves." 
 
 " Ah, Monsieur Marenval would indeed be a good 
 capture ! He would be offered to ransom. But this 
 idea of a trip by sea has come to you quite suddenly ; 
 you were not thinking of it, I think, when we were 
 talking the other day? " 
 
 "No; it is Marenval who has won me over," said 
 Tragomer carelessly. " I should have been glad of 
 a rest this winter. Whatever Mr. Harvey may say, 
 uninterrupted locomotion for a whole year is ex- 
 tremely fatiguing. Here, however, we can rest on 
 shore whenever we like. Our stays in port will be 
 longer than our excursions on the open sea. Who 
 knows? Perhaps we shall take some friends with us? 
 I have thought of asking Maugiron. With him we 
 should be certain to feed well ; he would undertake 
 to look after the provisions and the cooking." 
 
 " Then, if I call at Nice or Monaco," asked Sorfege, 
 " I may come across you? " 
 
 " Certainly, my dear friend. If you will meet us 
 at Marseilles in about a fortnight, we will take you 
 there by sea." 
 
 At this offer Sor6ge's features relaxed. Shaking 
 his head, he said cordially : 
 
 " I am very grateful for your kindness, but I can- 
 not leave Paris. Miss Harvey would be surprised, 
 
 i68 
 
CRITICAL INTERVIEWS 
 
 and justly so ; besides, I am not inclined to leave her. 
 I will follow you then only in imagination, unless 
 you would be good enough to write to me, in which 
 case I could desire nothing further." 
 
 " Meanwhile, my dear friend, " interrupted Trago- 
 mer, who saw that his wily adversary was attempting 
 to win him over, " please introduce me as you have 
 promised to do to Miss Maud Harvey." 
 
 " With the greatest possible pleasure. Unless Mr. 
 Harvey will take upon himself the trifling ceremony. " 
 
 "Certainly," said the American proudly. "I 
 believe my daughter will be very pleased to make 
 your acquaintance. Monsieur de Tragomer." 
 
 They passed into the salon, where Mrs. Weller, in 
 the center of a circle of women and young girls, was 
 testing a wonderful phonograph she had just re- 
 ceived from America. It was the very latest thing 
 out, and reproduced accurately the voices of the sing- 
 ers and the sounds of the instruments. A nigger 
 troupe, to banjo accompaniment, was giving a new 
 song, then all the rage in America, the chorus of 
 which was a wild shout, that kept time with a jerky 
 dance. The shrill chords of the mandolins could be 
 heard clearly, as well as the violent cries of the sing- 
 ers themselves. Everything was reproduced, even 
 the peripatetic movement of the minstrels' feet and 
 the cries of delight raised by the enthusiastic au- 
 dience. 
 
 "Now, if you wish it," said the mistress of the 
 house, " I will let you hear Patti or President Mc- 
 Kinley." 
 
 Harvey and Tragomer advanced toward Miss 
 169 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Maud, while the apparatus was being arranged, and, 
 as Mr. McKinley was just commencing : " Fellow 
 
 citizens" the squatter, presenting the young man, 
 
 said to his daughter : 
 
 " Allow me, Maud, to introduce to you the Viscount 
 de Tragomer, one of your future husband's friends. 
 Monsieur de Tragomer, Miss Harvey, my daughter. " 
 
 The girl smiled and her small, thin face brightened. 
 Pointing to a chair by the side of her own, she said 
 to Christian in clear,, dictatorial tones : 
 
 "Take a seat here. I shall be very pleased to 
 have a chat with you. I have wanted to make your 
 acquaintance for some time. We have mutual 
 friends who have often spoken of you in my pres- 
 ence." 
 
 "Your fiance?" 
 
 " No. Monsieur de Sorfege, on the contrary, has 
 never mentioned your name. . . . All the same, I 
 know you have been friends for many years. You 
 must not be surprised at my being so well informed. 
 I am of an inquisitive nature, bent on knowing 
 something of those whose acquaintance I make or 
 with whom I connect myself — and one can not con- 
 nect oneself to another more closely than in mar- 
 riage. Therefore, I like to meet my future hus- 
 band's friends on terms of intimacy. . . . People 
 may be judged very correctly by their acquaintance. 
 . . . Why does Monsieur de Sorfege never speak of 
 you? Are you not friends? " 
 
 Tragomer, rather surprised by so much boldness, 
 bowed his head to conceal his embarrassment. It 
 was repugnant to him to give Miss Harvey false as- 
 
 170 
 
CRITICAL INTERVIEWS 
 
 stirances, and he did not care to acknowledge any lack 
 of friendship in his relations with Sorfege. A single 
 word from the young American girl to her fianc^ 
 would have sufficed to put the latter on his guard. 
 
 " So far are we from being unfriendly that, had 
 not your father been bent on doing me the honor of 
 presenting me to you personally, Sorfege himself 
 would have done so." 
 
 "All the better! I wish Monsieur de Sorbge had 
 several friends like you. . . . He used to have very 
 bad ones. . . . Who was this Monsieur de Fr^neuse, 
 who ended so badly? " 
 
 At this unexpected question Christian blushed. 
 He looked closely at Miss Harvey. Since he had 
 had to deal with Sorege, he was on his guard against 
 everything. He suspected that this young Ameri- 
 can girl served, quite unconsciously', as an ally to the 
 man who never looked one full in the face, and that 
 the test to which he was being put had been pre- 
 pared as a trap. He wished to sound the depths of 
 Miss Maud's thoughts. 
 
 "Ah, Mademoiselle, M. de Fr^neuse was a poor 
 fellow whom both Monsieur de Sorege and I had 
 known from childhood, whose adventures were a 
 cause of great sorrow to all who loved him." 
 
 "Why is Monsieur de Sorfege so extremely re- 
 served in speaking of these adventures, and of their 
 hero? On this subject I have never been able to 
 draw from him anything but vague and sorrowful 
 replies." 
 
 " But why are you so inquisitive, Mademoiselle? " 
 
 " Oh ! I have many friends who are regular scan- 
 171 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 dalmongers and not at all afraid of giving vent to 
 idle gossip concerning whatever happens without 
 their help or intervention. My proposed marriage 
 to Monsieur de Sorfege has been much discussed. 
 But, as no fault could be found with his personal con- 
 duct, it appears that they try to fall back on his rela- 
 tions with people. . . . That is how I have been led 
 to interest myself in this unfortunate Monsieur de 
 Fr^neuse. Some people were not far from giving 
 me to understand that the Count, having been on 
 intimate terms with so great a culprit, might well 
 be as great a one himself. Naturally, I treated these 
 absurd statements with the scorn they deserved. 
 But I questioned the Count Jean concerning his 
 former friend, and, despite the fact that he is gen- 
 erally a thorough master of himself, he became 
 quite troubled, and appeared to be uneasy. Then I 
 made up my mind to bring this matter to daylight. 
 Now is a good opportunity, for here you are 
 seated by my side, and we can talk at our ease 
 while all these women waste their time in listening 
 to all the silly nonsense emitted by that silly 
 instrument." 
 
 " Indeed, Miss Harvey, I can hardly understand 
 why a young girl like yourself, without any care or 
 anxiety, should give her attention to such painful 
 questions as the one you now wish to discuss. But, 
 if it is compromising to have been a friend to Jacques 
 de Frdneuse, permit me to say that I, too, was his 
 friend." 
 
 " Yes, but you have defended him, you are not 
 afraid to speak about him ; it does not disturb you 
 
 172 
 
CRITICAL INTERVIEWS 
 
 to hear his name mentioned. Please under&tand I 
 am accustomed to think quite logically and to speak 
 very frankly. In this Fr^neuse affair, so far as 
 Monsieur de Sorfege is concerned, there is something 
 which shocks me. . . . What is it? You must 
 know. Tell me." 
 
 Christian sat there motionless. 
 
 " I have nothing to tell you. Miss Maud, except 
 that Jacques de Fr^neuse has never ceased to pro- 
 test his innocence, and that certain of his friends, in 
 spite of proof and appearance to the contrary, have 
 never believed in his guilt." 
 
 " Are you one of these, Monsieur de Tragomer? " 
 
 "Yes, Mademoiselle, I am." 
 
 " And up to the present have you done anything 
 to prove that you are mistaken? " 
 
 " What could have I have done? The law has pro- 
 nounced its verdict. " 
 
 " Suppose it is in the wrong? " 
 
 " The law is not in the wrong. It is sometimes 
 deceived, but that is not the same thing." 
 
 " Then was there any one in this affair to whose 
 interest it was to pervert justice? " 
 
 "Perhaps." 
 
 " Do you know the man? " 
 
 "No, Mademoiselle, I do not." 
 
 At that moment the Count de Sor^ge, uneasy at 
 the prolonged conversation between Tragomer and 
 his fianc6, crossed the threshold of the salon. Miss 
 Harvey, in rather blunt way, signaled to him with 
 her fan to approach. Then, with that inconsiderate 
 ardor peculiar to her, she said : 
 
 173 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Come here for a moment, Count. I am delighted 
 that my father has introduced your friend to me. 
 He has been interesting me immensely, speaking 
 about this Jacques de Preneuse, of whom you will 
 tell us nothing. Why did you not tell me that you 
 considered him innocent? " 
 
 " I should like to believe it," said Sorfege, with hol- 
 low voice. 
 
 " Then you are either less ingenuous or less in- 
 dulgent than Monsieur de Tragomer, for he admits 
 that the condemned man was innocent." 
 
 The Count bowed his head sadly. 
 
 " He has too many reasons to wish Frdneuse to 
 be innocent, not to be brought to admit what he 
 wishes." 
 
 " What reasons has he more than yourself? " asked 
 the young American girl eagerly. " He was this 
 unfortunate man's friend, like yourself, no more 
 than " 
 
 " Has he not told you of the bond which attaches 
 him to the Fr^neuse family? " 
 
 Miss Maud looked straight at Tragomer. 
 
 174 
 
Chapter XIII 
 
 THE PLOT THICKENS 
 
 The young man smiled sadly. 
 
 " It is true I was the fiance of Mademoiselle de 
 Fr6neuse when the catastrophe happened, and then 
 all our plans were broken. Oh! I reproach my- 
 self, it was my fault. I was lacking in constancy 
 and firmness. I should have openly scorned and 
 braved public opinion. In the uncertainty of the 
 first few days I was weak enough to be influenced by 
 scandalous and cowardly counsel. I somewhat neg- 
 lected his poor mother and sister, when my devo- 
 tion to them ought to have been doubled. ... I 
 acted like Sorfege, like all the rest. I shunned mis- 
 fortune. And when ashamed of my conduct, I re- 
 turned, begging for pardon, I found the door closed 
 on me, and nothing but disdain instead of affection. 
 That is the reason I have been traveling, for the 
 past eighteen months, in every part of the world, 
 unable to forget my cowardly conduct. There is my 
 history. Mademoiselle. As you see, it is not a bril- 
 liant one. It is that, too, of all the friends of 
 Jacques de Fr^neuse, only aggravated by bitter cir- 
 cumstances, and now you will understand why So- 
 rhge does not find it a pleasant subject to speak of. " 
 
 175 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " I should have been greatly obliged to him had he 
 confessed the truth. I esteem j'ou greatly for hav- 
 ing been frank enough to explain to me your weak- 
 ness. I can well understand the resolve that the sis- 
 ter of this unhappy man has taken. I myself would 
 not pardon one lacking in moral courage. I can un- 
 derstand why one should be seized with fear, face to 
 face with a grizzly or a puma. That is a physical 
 effect which one has no time to reason out. But in- 
 tellectual faltering, I am sure, would find me pitiless. 
 Since your return, have you made any attempt to 
 see your former fiancee or her mother? " 
 
 "No," said Tragomer, in a low voice, "I knew 
 beforehand how useless it would be." 
 
 "And you, Count, have you never seen them 
 since? " 
 
 "Never." 
 
 Miss Harvey remained pensive for a moment. 
 Then a melancholy look, forming a strange contrast 
 with her usual vivacity, came into her eyes. 
 
 " The fate of these two poor women is the saddest 
 that could be imagined. Do they persist in believ- 
 ing this poor man innocent? " 
 
 "They do." 
 
 " And yet they do nothing? " 
 
 "What can they do?" 
 
 " If I were in their place, I should do something. 
 I can not admit that one should remain quietly in one 
 spot weeping and dreaming, while one is continually 
 thinking of the injustice that has been committed. 
 If one of my brothers. Monsieur de Tragomer, were 
 a victim of some vile machination and had been con- 
 
 176 
 
THE PLOT THICKENS 
 
 demned, I should have known no peace until his in- 
 nocence had been proclaimed. I should have spent 
 in the effort my strength, my intelligence, and my 
 fortune. But I should not have left him in the 
 bagnio, when I should have felt compelled to carry 
 him off by force, and with the help of a band of 
 buccaneers, if necessary. " 
 
 Sorfege, at these last words, gave a forced laugh, 
 his eyes fixed on Tragomer's face, which he exam- 
 ined with anxiety. Then he said: 
 
 " You are a regular amazon, Miss Maud. There 
 you go ! Matters are not carried out so easily as you 
 imagine. There are bands of soldiers, strong ram- 
 parts, and swift-sailing vessels cruising along the 
 coast to guard the convicts." 
 
 " You appear to be delighted that such is the 
 case," interrupted the young girl, with considerable 
 vivacity. " Really, I do not understand you. At 
 times I imagine you cherish a feeling of hatred 
 against your old friend." 
 
 " Hatred ! Heavens ! No. But I blame him se- 
 verely, notwithstanding all the affection I entertained 
 for him, for having so carelessly compassed his own 
 ruin and troubled his friends. All he had to do was to 
 walk straight along the road lying open before him. 
 Because he liked crooked paths, he plunged into such 
 a slimy sink of vice that it was impossible to pre- 
 vent his downfall. I feel embittered against him. 
 Miss Maud, but only on that account, believe me. 
 This feeling of bitterness is still friendship, how- 
 ever. " 
 
 " Well, if you are still attached to him, why do you 
 12 177 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 not share Monsieur de Tragomer's conviction? 
 Why do you not try to disprove the culpability of the 
 condemned man? " 
 
 "Ah! That is impossible. It would be all in 
 vain," declared Sorege forcibly. "Refute material 
 ■facts universally recognized, prove the improb able, 
 deny all evidence? That is not the kind of work for 
 a sensible human being. One may bewail, regret, 
 villify. But oppose common sense; combat truth 
 itself? Where is the advantage? " 
 
 "He is right. Mademoiselle," said Tragomer 
 coldly. " I understand so well that my convictions 
 are purely Platonic. If there had been anything to 
 do, I would have made the attempt, believe me. It 
 is because everything is useless that I have deter- 
 mined to seek distraction by traveling. " 
 
 " Since you are starting again, why not go and see 
 this poor man? " 
 
 Tragomer shuddered. Once more he wondered 
 whether the American girl was not in collusion with 
 Sorfege to make him speak out. But the very 
 audacity of the question was in itself a protest 
 against such a supposition. She was simply carried 
 off by the adventurous spirit of her race, by the 
 ignorance of obstacles common in those who are 
 wealthy, and the complete ignorance of laws and 
 regulations which characterizes womankind. 
 
 " Go to Noumea? " asked Sorfege, in a low voice. 
 " Sorry expedition ! " 
 
 " I should not have sufficient courage," said Tra- 
 gomer. " It would be too sad a spectacle to see one 
 I had known handsome and fascinating living in a 
 
 178 
 
THE PLOT THICKENS 
 
 state of abject misery. Then how should I find 
 him, after he has spent two years among his debased 
 companions? One's nature deteriorates, one's body 
 becomes worn out, bad habits are acquired; life in a 
 bagnio turns a strong, intelligent man into a being 
 at once degraded and feeble. I would rather not 
 see this; it would be too painful." 
 
 " Still, you believe him innocent, and yet you can 
 resign yourself to the thought that he is living 
 under such pitiable conditions? You will make no 
 attempt to take him from them? You are going to 
 sail on the Mediterranean, coasting along and calling 
 at Cannes and Monte Carlo. All this is very healthy 
 and comforting. There you will have no painful 
 sights to view if you can keep your eyes from the 
 consumptive visitors. I have been told that the 
 French were the last worshipers of the chimera and 
 that no heroic folly was ever committed in any part 
 of the world without their taking part in it. I am 
 very pleased to see that practical common sense has 
 come to them, and that they now consult their inter- 
 est before following their inspiration. A pleasant 
 journey. Monsieur de Tragomer. I am delighted to 
 have made your acquaintance. In all probability 
 you will return from your trip next spring. My 
 father and I will then be going to the Isle of 
 Wight, as we do annually ; if you will come to see us 
 there, it may be an agreeable change for you. No 
 fatigue, no emotion, and plenty of comfort." 
 
 As she spoke thus she looked at the young man ^ 
 with an affected smile, which gave to her thin face 
 an expression of extraordinary disdain. Tragomer 
 
 179 
 
IN DEfiP ABYSS 
 
 appeared completely dejected, while Sorfege in a 
 fatherly way came to the rescue : 
 
 " Must one be a madman to please you, Miss Maud? 
 It is too bad for you to be quarreling with Tragomer 
 on my account. Why should you exact from him 
 some act of sublime devotion, of which I do not set 
 him the example? Are you in a mood for quarrel- 
 ing this evening? If so I will serve as a target for 
 you, but for pity's sake spare the passersby! " 
 
 Miss Harvey burst into a laugh. 
 
 "After all, Count, you are right, as your friend 
 said just now, and he, too, is right. I, only, was in 
 the wrong to attack you as I did." 
 
 " You are a new people," said Sorfege. " That will 
 pass away, as it has done with our decadent race." 
 
 The young girl held out her hand to Tragomer, 
 and resuming her good humor said : 
 
 " I have gone a little too far ! You will pardon 
 me, I hope." 
 
 " Willingly," said the Breton, " the more so because 
 it has all been at Sorfege'c expense." 
 
 They laughed, Sor^ge himself deigning to allow 
 a smile to spread over his usually impassive coun- 
 tenance. 
 
 "Well," said the girl, "nothing that may be said 
 or done here to-night will be of any interest to me. 
 I must retire. " 
 
 She gave a signal to her father and withdrew, fol- 
 lowed by Sorbge. Immediately, Marenval, who had 
 been watching his companion for some time, drew 
 near, and asked, not without considerable uneasi- 
 ness: 
 
 1 80 
 
THE PLOT THICKENS 
 
 " What kind of a conference have you three been 
 having in that corner? I could only just see you, 
 and yet, from your gestures alone, I imagined you 
 must have been engaged in a very serious conversa- 
 tion." 
 
 " You were not mistaken. Miss Harvey came very 
 near offering to take me to New Caledonia herself. " 
 
 " You are joking? " 
 
 " Indeed, I am not. This took place in Sor^ge's 
 presence. I have not yet recovered from the 
 shock!" 
 
 "Ah! the daughter takes after the father? The 
 family seem bent on taking their friends to the sea 
 with them!" 
 
 " I had to submit to a regular cross-examination on 
 Jacques de Freneuse." 
 
 " Bah ! With what object? " 
 
 " I should like to know. At one time, I suspected 
 that Sorfege had prepared this trap to catch me. 
 But it was not so. He was as uneasy as myself. 
 Perhaps we owe everything to chance. In any case, 
 when the right time comes, I intend to take advan- 
 tage of the incident. Miss Harvey will not remain 
 indifferent to our efforts in favor of Freneuse. If 
 it is necessary to ask for her help under positive cir- 
 cumstances, I do not deem her to be a woman who 
 would hesitate to give it." 
 
 " Even against her fianc^? " 
 
 " Even against him. " 
 
 " Are you certain they have not divined any of our 
 plans?" 
 
 " Absolutely. I preferred to allow myself to be 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 made sport of by that lively but odd girl. Just 
 now, she has no flattering opinion of me. I will 
 make her change it, however, in due time." 
 
 " You are going? " 
 
 " Yes. I have still to complete preparations and 
 some accounts to settle." 
 
 " Where shall we meet to-morrow? " 
 
 " At the home of Madame de Fr^neuse at three 
 o'clock. I must try to see her. I rely upon you to 
 obtain permission to be received by her." 
 
 "Good-by till to-morrow, then." 
 
 182 
 
Chapter XIV 
 
 A SECRET VOYAGE 
 
 The gloomy-looking hotel in the Rue des Petits- 
 Champs appeared to awake from its somber silence 
 when the entrance-bell rang under Tragomer's im- 
 patient hand. Old Giraud came to open the door. 
 He smiled at Marenval, and stood there stupefied at 
 the sight of Christian. His countenance, however, 
 resumed its taciturn expression, and the former mer- 
 chant asked : 
 
 " Are Madame and Mademoiselle de Fr^neuse at 
 home? " 
 
 " Certainly, sir, but I do not know if Monsieur de 
 Tragomer " 
 
 The reproachful accent with which this interrupt- 
 ed sentence was uttered deeply troubled the young 
 man. From his very first step on the threshold he 
 knew exactly in what esteem he was held. There 
 was the old man, who had known him from child- 
 hood, who had so often taken him back to his 
 father's home at night, after spending the day 
 playing with Jacques ; the old man who had given 
 him lunch in the little room next to the ante-cham- 
 ber, and took care that nothing should be wanting, 
 either in point of amusement or dainty tit-bits; this 
 
 183 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 same old man it was who now, with averted gaze, 
 wondered whether it would be possible to admit him 
 or not. The house was still and lonely, for Jacques 
 was no longer there ; the old servant, trembling and 
 sad, now walked with bent back, and he, Tragomer, 
 was returning as a stranger to that house, formerly 
 cordially open to him. He said : 
 
 " Do not tell the ladies that I am here, Giraud. I 
 
 will wait in the ante-room where " as he said 
 
 these words, so pregnant with the memories of the 
 past, his eyes filled with tears. 
 
 " Ah ! Monsieur Christian, " exclaimed the servant, 
 quite upset, " our Jacques will no longer be there to 
 keep you company, as formerly. . . . But I see you 
 have not forgotten him. . . . Yes, you still love him ! 
 Ah ! I thought it would be impossible for you, like 
 all the others, to have abandoned your friend ! " 
 
 " No ! Giraud, I have not abandoned him. Of this 
 you shall have proof. But it is important that I 
 speak to Madame de Prdneuse. Monsieur Marenval 
 is going to ask her to receive me. Go with him ; I 
 will wait till you come for me." 
 
 He entered the room in which Marenval had ques- 
 tioned Giraud at so great length concerning Mon- 
 sieur de Sorfege. The old servant and Cyprien en- 
 tered the salon where the poor, disconsolate mother, 
 dressed in mourning, unappeased and hopeless, sat 
 near the fireplace. In the recess of the window her 
 daughter was working in silence. No words other 
 than those concerning the ordinary events of the 
 household were exchanged by the two women. 
 Outside of these commonplace details, they had only 
 
 184 
 
A SECRET VOYAGE 
 
 one thought on which they knew themselves to be 
 so perfectly in accord that they had no further need 
 of words to understand each other. A look was 
 sufficient. 
 
 The door opened and Giraud appeared, followed 
 by Marenval. Mademoiselle de Fr^neuse's counte- 
 nance lit up with a smile. Rising, she held out her 
 hand to Cyprien and him to her mother. 
 
 " I promised to return shortly, my dear cousins, " 
 said the former business man. " Here I am, and 
 with better assurances to give you than last time." 
 
 " Have you learned anything favorable to our 
 cause?" asked Madame de Fr^neuse excitedly. 
 
 " Yes, indeed, very favorable. . . . But, above all 
 else, I can not have attributed to myself alone the 
 merit for what has been done. In this affair I have 
 a skilful, persevering ally to whom the greater part 
 of the results already obtained are due. ... I mean 
 Monsieur de Tragomer." 
 
 A cloud passed over the brow of Marie de Fr^- 
 neuse. Marenval pretended not to notice it, and 
 continued : 
 
 " It is indispensable that you see him. He alone 
 is able to impart the important information of which 
 we are in possession, for it is he who has obtained it 
 by dint of considerable patience and sagacity." 
 
 Madame de Fr^neuse looked at her daughter to 
 see how she received this request. The young girl 
 gave a sign of protest, her face turned pale — never- 
 theless she said : 
 
 " Receive him, if you wish to. I will retire. " 
 
 " Can you not be less severe ? " 
 185 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " I shall never forget, mother, what has hap- 
 pened. " 
 
 " Still, if he atones for his fault — if he works with 
 us to rehabilitate your brother ? " 
 
 " I shall need more than empty words of condo- 
 lence to convince me," said the young girl bitterly. 
 
 Ringing the bell, she waited till the old servant 
 appeared, and then said : 
 
 "Show Monsieur de Tragomer into this room," 
 and without another word she passed before her 
 mother and left them alone. 
 
 " Poor Christian," said Cyprien to Madame de Fr^- 
 neuse, "' when you know what he has already done, 
 and what he is ready to attempt, you will, I hope, 
 plead his cause with Marie. We must not discour- 
 age so useful a man. But for him, what would be- 
 come of us? " 
 
 For a moment Tragomer stood undecided on the 
 threshold, looking around for Mademoiselle de 
 Frdneuse. He saw only Jacques's mother, dressed 
 in deep mourning, her hair quite gray. His lips 
 quivered, his eyes moistened, not a sentence could 
 he frame, as with filial respect he bowed the knee 
 before this martyr. Then for a moment they 
 stood there, silent and agitated. Finally, Madame 
 de Pr^neuse regained her composure, wiped away 
 her tears, and looking affectionately at the young 
 man, said: 
 
 "I thank you for coming back, Christian; you 
 have restored the past to me for a few moments. 
 Come, tell us what you have done to give us hope for 
 the future. " 
 
 i86 
 
A SECRET VOYAGE 
 
 Tragomer had risen. He stood by the fireplace, 
 and addressing Marenval as well as Jacques's mother, 
 said: 
 
 " I have come to the belief, I might almost say 
 the certainty, that the woman for whose murder 
 Jacques has been condemned is alive. " 
 
 " L,6a. Pdrelli! " exclaimed Madame de Frdneuse in 
 utter astonishment. 
 
 " L^a P6relli. There has been some mysterious 
 personage in this affair, whom I intend to bring to 
 light. To attain this end I shall overcome every 
 obstacle. Our friend, Marenval, will give me sub- 
 stantial help, for he is animated by the same desire, the 
 same ardor as myself. The object of our enterprise 
 is to prove your son's innocence. This is our aim, 
 one we shall endeavor with all our might to achieve. " 
 
 " In what way?" 
 
 " We are starting to-morrow on a long sea voyage. 
 It is generally understood that we are coasting the 
 Mediterranean. Our appearance at the different 
 points we have fixed upon — Nice, Naples, Palermo, 
 Alexandria — gives a false idea of our real purpose. 
 Quietly we shall steal away, pass through the Suez 
 Canal, enter the Indian Ocean under full steam, 
 reach Colombo, and finally come to New Caledonia. 
 There we reach the end of our voyage. I land, see 
 Jacques, and ask him the dreaded questions which 
 are to lighten the gloom so skilfully cast over the 
 realities of the crime." 
 
 " You are going to see him? " said the mother, clasp- 
 ing her hands beseechingly. " Oh, take me with you !" 
 
 " That is impossible. Your very presence on board 
 187 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 would be an avowal of our plans. On the contrary, 
 it would be better for you to be seen here at times 
 during our absence, so that it may be well known 
 that you are in Paris." 
 
 " Ah, whose interest is it to watch over me and to 
 be afraid of you? " 
 
 "Those who are the accomplices of the guilty 
 man, or the latter himself, in whose place Jacques is 
 suffering. If we awaken their suspicions they may 
 escape. To obtain a hold on them, we shall be 
 obliged to strike like a thunderbolt." 
 
 " Do I know them? " asked Madame de Fr^neuse, 
 in deep anguish. 
 
 "Do not question me," replied Tragomer. "Be 
 contented with the hope I give you. After living 
 for the past two years in grief and sorrow, recover a 
 little confidence and take some pleasure in life." 
 
 "Pleasure, alas! Shall I ever get it, even if 
 I do see my son again? Such trials crush one's 
 heart for the rest of one's life. Look, I have be- 
 come bent, gray-haired, and wrinkled like an octo- 
 genarian, and I am not fifty years old. The tor- 
 ture I have suffered has been nameless. I pray 
 heaven that those who have inflicted it on me may 
 not be too heavily punished." 
 
 "Oh, Madame! They will be, and terribly, for 
 hitherto everything has succeeded so well with them 
 that they feel sure of escape. An incredible num- 
 ber of circumstances were reviewed before I came 
 across one fact that began to bring light to my 
 mind. During repeated researches much time has 
 been needed, and great efforts made to reach the 
 
 i88 
 
A SECRET VOYAGE 
 
 point we have now attained, and nothing is yet done ; 
 all the real work has yet to be done." 
 
 " Still, you have good hopes of success? " said the 
 mother, already alarmed by Tragomer's cautious 
 statement. 
 
 "My dear cousin," said Marenval, "look at me 
 carefully. It is not often I make advances, and 
 that I never do without deliberation. For a man 
 like myself at the end of his career, settled in life, 
 happy, rich, and free to take up an affair like the 
 one on which Christian and I are now engaged, he 
 must necessarily be perfectly sure of the result! 
 Yes, we shall succeed! We shall succeed! " 
 
 And as Madame de Fr^neuse looked at Cyprien 
 with eyes in which admiration was mingled with as- 
 tonishment, he added, in simple tones : 
 
 "Tragomer has promised me that we shall suc- 
 ceed, and I have confidence in his word." 
 
 " But how shall we know what will happen during 
 this long voyage of yours? " 
 
 " I have provided for everything," said Marenval. 
 " My valet will receive letters which he will bring 
 to you, and which will keep you well informed. You 
 will receive nothing directly ; any act of indiscretion, 
 a single prattling word on the part of a servant might 
 reveal everything, and we shall be forced to proceed 
 with considerable caution." 
 
 " And how shall I answer you? " 
 
 " By the same channel. My valet, like Giraud, is 
 a man to be trusted. . . . You may give him j'our 
 letters ; he will send them to the address of the cap- 
 tain of our yacht." 
 
 189 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "What I may now ask of you," resumed Madame 
 de Fr^neuse, with much emotion, "is to give this 
 poor child a kiss from me, to assure him my 
 heart has never doubted his innocence, and that 
 in my distress I have reckoned my own trouble as 
 nothing when I thought of his. He has committed 
 many faults; he has given his enemies a terrible 
 hold on him by his indiscretions. But he is pay- 
 ing for his erring life by a punishment which ex- 
 alts and ennobles him. Tell him all that. For if 
 he has wept he must be consoled, and before prom- 
 ising him any kind of rehabilitation, he must be 
 shown that nothing, not even pain and grief, is lost 
 in this world! " 
 
 "I will do as you desire," said Tragomer gravely; 
 " but if you imagine that all error must be expiated, 
 will you not deign to be indulgent toward those I 
 have committed? Will you not plead my cause with 
 Mademoiselle de Fr^neuse? Before leaving, it would 
 be very sweet to me to bid her good-by. Perhaps, 
 if she remains pitiless, in so far as she is concerned 
 personally, she would, nevertheless, like to encour- 
 age me, from affection for her brother. I will ask 
 her for neither pardon nor hope. A simple wish for 
 success, and if, perchance, I do not return, a prayer." 
 
 Madame Fr^neuse rose from her seat, and opening 
 the door passed into the next room. After a brief 
 interval she reappeared, followed by her daughter. 
 The two women were pale, their eyes filled with 
 tears; Marie, cold and gloomy, advanced toward 
 her former fianc^, and full of self-possession, said : 
 
 " You have asked to see me, before leaving France, 
 190 
 
A SECRET VOYAGE 
 
 Monsieur de Tragomer. I know you are going to 
 try to rescue my brother. I can not, therefore, re- 
 fuse; here I am." 
 
 He stood before her, troubled, unhappy, even 
 trembling. He would have liked to speak, but he 
 had promised to be silent. An ardent justification 
 of his conduct sprang to his lips ; words of protest 
 filled his mind, while his heart was overwhelmed 
 with bitter regret at seeing, after an absence of two 
 years, the one he had known smiling and strong in 
 her youthful ardor, now sad and emaciated by de- 
 spair. Perhaps she appeared to him even more 
 beautiful in grief than in joy ; her countenance had 
 assumed an expression of nobility and pride, which 
 had replaced the former air of thoughtlessness and 
 simplicity. She was now more womanly, and he 
 considered her a thousand times more worthy of 
 being won.. He drew near; she stood still with 
 downcast eyes, then he said: 
 
 "Marie." 
 
 She shuddered; so many happy memories, now 
 effaced and vanished, were evoked by that name 
 pronounced by him. In a moment the whole of the 
 past returned. She saw again the house gay and 
 cheerful, her mother happy, her brother present and 
 beloved by all in spite of his acts of folly, and her- 
 self, a fiancee, looking joyfully onward to the future. 
 
 At this sweet recollection of her former life, now 
 seemingly ended, she could not restrain her emotions, 
 and raising her hands to her face she burst into 
 tears. Then Tragomer, no longer master of him- 
 self, exclaimed in tones of passionate fervor: 
 
 191 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " O Marie ! these tears you are now shedding fill 
 me with mingled grief and joy. You have not for- 
 gotten everything. Your heart is not barred to 
 me forever. It will receive me again, I feel it, and 
 you will forgive me. I will make such efforts that 
 you will forget your righteous anger, and your sev- 
 erity toward me will fade away. I did not wish to 
 leave without seeing you again. I imagine I should 
 have failed in my attempt had I not received a fresh 
 store of intelligence and resolution from the inspira- 
 tion of your presence. Now I have no longer any 
 uneasiness. Everything will go well, and we shall 
 triumph; and it will be for your sake that I shall 
 have made such efforts. Perhaps you will grant me 
 your indulgence and, comparing my faults with the 
 reparation I shall some day offer you, you will for- 
 give me wholly." 
 
 She stood there, calm and decided ; then, turning 
 on Christian, her beautiful face now transfigured 
 with hope, she uttered this single word, 
 
 "Succeed!" 
 
 Tragomer gave a cry of joy, and, as the hand of 
 Mademoiselle de Fr^neuse hung by her side, he bent 
 down, tenderly took those pale, thin fingers and 
 pressed them passionately to his lips. Then, bow- 
 ing to Madame de Freneuse, he said : 
 
 "Come, Marenval, now we must start! " 
 
 "Yes, we will start at once," said Cyprien with 
 energy, and, after affectionately kissing the two 
 ladies, he followed Tragomer. 
 
 192 
 
PART II 
 
 13 
 
 193 
 
Chapter I 
 
 A BAGNIO IN NEW CALEDONIA 
 
 The ship's boat came to a stop at the foot of the 
 jetty steps, and a sergeant of the marine infantry 
 seized a gaff and hooked on the ring, so as to facili- 
 tate the landing of the passenger. The latter, rising 
 from the stern where he had been seated, said to the 
 helmsman in English : 
 
 " Wait till I return ; perhaps I shall be away some 
 considerable time. Not a man must leave the boat. " 
 
 "Very well, sir! " 
 
 Tragomer, clothed in white duck, wearing a cork 
 helmet, similar to that worn by colonists, stepped 
 lightly on to the wet steps, and had soon set foot on 
 the jetty. A band of natives in charge of a colonial 
 guard, their hair colored with lime, clothed in filthy 
 rags, crowded in front of the traveler. 
 
 The sergeant in authoritative tones ordered them 
 to retire : 
 
 " Back! all of you, or take the consequences! " he 
 said. 
 
 And, raising a rope's end that he held in his hand, 
 he seemed disposed to enforce his orders. 
 
 The natives gave way, and Tragomer found him- 
 self alone in the presence of the sergeant. 
 
 " You have come from the small English vessel, I 
 suppose? " inquired the sergeant. 
 
 195 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "Yes," said Tragomer, with a strong accent; "I 
 am stepping on shore for a short time. I should 
 like to visit the penitentiary." 
 
 " Permission must be obtained from the governor. " 
 
 " Ah ! Where is the governor? " 
 
 With the usual French willingness to oblige, the 
 sergeant cast a glance around him, and seeing an 
 attendant native seated, aimlessly, on the parapet of 
 the jetty, said to him : 
 
 " Advance to order, D6rinho. Here is a stranger, 
 conduct him to the governor's residence." Then 
 turning to Tragomer he continued, " You will not 
 find him at home, sir ; he is on tour on board the 
 state advice-boat. But his secretary will receive 
 you. Yes, it is ten o'clock, he will be there still. 
 If, perchance, he is away, you -will find him at the 
 Caf ^ de la Cousine. " 
 
 " Thank you, " said Tragomer with a smile, and, 
 as he did not wish to offer money to the fine fel- 
 low, he drew from his pocket a Manila straw cigar- 
 case and said : 
 
 " Take a cigar, will you? " 
 
 " With pleasure, sir. Ah ! You called at Manila 
 on the way I see." 
 
 Christian emptied his cigar-case into the soldier's 
 hand, and after bowing, followed the guide who 
 was awaiting him. 
 
 "Well! " exclaimed the sergeant gaily, after Tra- 
 gomer had gone, "if I catch smoker's cancer this 
 time, it will not be from smoking cigar-butts." And 
 lighting, with great delight, a cigar destined for a 
 prince or a millionaire, he again returned to duty. 
 
 196 
 
A BAGNIO IN NEW CALEDONIA 
 
 The heat was very great ; and was only slightly modi- 
 fied by the breeze from the open sea. The island 
 Nou, away on the horizon, stretched out its low- 
 fringed shore, while the verdant peaks of the Isle 
 of Pines shot their wild jagged crests into the cloud- 
 less sky. The waters of the bay teemed with life 
 and movement on account of the numerous long- 
 boats and barges passing in and out. A large coal- 
 ing-vessel filling its bunkers spread over the sur- 
 rounding waters an inky tinge, while merchant 
 vessels, at anchor, with sails furled, and smokeless 
 funnels, lay, as it were, asleep on the blue waves. 
 A few hundred yards away a white yacht, schooner- 
 rigged, was at anchor. Built especially for speed, 
 she lay low in the water and from her yellow fun- 
 nels faint lines of smoke issued. The English flag 
 was flying from the gaff of the mizzen, abaft ; while 
 the continual moving of sailors on the deck, indicated 
 that the vessel was under steam and ready to start at 
 a minute's notice. 
 
 Passing along an avenue planted with trees, tho 
 the condition of the road was no credit to the Colonial 
 Administration, Tragomer, preceded by his guide, 
 made his way into the town. In fine weather a thick 
 dust covered the road, which after a shower of rain 
 became transformed into a stream of mud. Stores 
 kept by discharged convicts and offering for sale 
 articles of luxury as well as of utility were visible on 
 every hand. The little native girls with woven hats, 
 and clad in colored cotton cloth, passed on their re- 
 turn from the market, laden with their provision- 
 baskets, and responded with smiles to the glances 
 
 197 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 cast at them by the soldiers. The attendant slack- 
 ened his steps. A tolerably large building, over 
 which the French flag waved, appeared before Tra- 
 gomer's eyes. 
 
 " Governor's residence," said D^rinho with consid- 
 erable emphasis, as he squirted a jet of saliva red- 
 dened by betel. 
 
 " Good ! " replied Tragomer as he looked at the 
 sentinel, who, shaded by his sentry-box, was mount- 
 ing guard and leaned indolently on his gun. 
 
 After tipping his guide, he entered. 
 
 A band of convicts was engaged in repairing the 
 roof of a small building, while the overseer, seated 
 on a wooden log, was smoking a cigarette. Above 
 a door Tragomer read the following inscription : 
 
 " Penitentiary Administration. — Governor's Room. 
 — General Secretary's Office." Reentered: a clerk 
 was sitting in the room half asleep. On hearing 
 the sound of footsteps, he raised his head and in- 
 quired sharply : 
 
 " What can I do for you, sir? " 
 
 " I wish to speak to the secretary. " 
 
 "Another Englishman," said the quill-driver, and, 
 rising with considerable effort, he made his way into 
 the adjoining room. 
 
 " Come in," said he, on returning a minute later. 
 
 The secretary was lying stretched out in an arm- 
 chair, with vest unbuttoned and cravat untied. He 
 rose on seeing the visitor, pointed lazily to an arm- 
 chair in front of his own, and with an expression of 
 astonishment depicted on his face said : 
 
 " Whom have I the honor of addressing? " 
 198 
 
A BAGNIO IN NEW CALEDONIA 
 
 Tragomer took from his pocket a sealed envelope, 
 and, making a bow, replied : 
 
 " Sir Christian Fergusson, of Liverpool ; and here 
 is a letter from the Franch consul at Colombo recom- 
 mending me to the governor's gracious protection." 
 
 "You are English, sir," said the secretary, taking 
 the paper with mild indifference. " Yes, in the way 
 of visitors we see none but Englishmen or Ameri- 
 cans. The French never come. They do not care 
 for traveling. . . . Besides, why should they come 
 to such a place? A sorry sight, this penitentiary! 
 All the same; every one to his taste! " 
 
 Glancing at the letter he continued : 
 
 "Ah! you are making an investigation into the 
 different penitentiary systems, as applied in the col- 
 onies by the European states, and comparing the 
 results. A thankless task ! One must see the con- 
 victs in private, as we do, to form an idea of how 
 little material is to be obtained from them for colo- 
 nization purposes. . . . Filthy brutes, sir, and 
 difficult to manage. They all imagine, when they 
 arrive here, that they are coming to an El Dorado. 
 They have become intoxicated with the words. New 
 Caledonia. There are some who commit murder so 
 that they may be sent to New Caledonia! They see 
 the colony in their dreams, and when the real state 
 of things is presented to them, they soon sing an- 
 other tune. . . . It is not a planter's or a sybarite's 
 life they lead. Far from it. They imagine they 
 are to spend their time in promenading by the sea- 
 side, smoking, like Parisians at holiday time. . . . 
 They lower their pretensions once they have made 
 
 199 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 acquaintance with the bagnios, the dormitories in 
 which they sleep, in chains, and the attendants who 
 walk about with revolvers at their girdles. . . . Oh ! 
 when they behave well, the Administration treats 
 them in quite a paternal fashion. They are taken 
 into the offices, their hard lot is mitigated, they are 
 made almost happy. . . . But how many deserve 
 such favors? The greater part have only one idea, 
 to escape." 
 
 The secretary paused for breath. He was flat- 
 tered by the attention his auditor paid him, and 
 was about to continue when Tragomer asked the 
 question : 
 
 " Are escapes frequent? " 
 
Chapter II 
 
 TRAGOMER INTERVIEWS THE MARTYR 
 
 "Pretty frequent, but almost always useless. 
 For it to be possible for a convict to escape, a ship 
 must pick him up. There was the escape of Mon- 
 sieur Rochefort with Olivier Pain, which has re- 
 mained the type of a well-arranged flight. But to 
 succeed in such an attempt, a great deal of money 
 must be spent, and one must have accomplices in 
 the outside world. An escaped convict generally 
 makes for the bush, and lives there, like a bandit in 
 a Corsican thicket. After a certain time, he is re- 
 captured by the natives or gives himself up of his 
 own accord. His only chance is to obtain possession 
 of a canoe and try to reach Australia. But then he 
 runs the risk of dying of hunger or of being eaten 
 by sharks." 
 
 " From which island do they escape most easily? " 
 " From Nou. The last to give us the slip set off 
 in the attendant's canoe after stripping him of his 
 uniform and tying him up to a tree. But he was 
 captured in the open sea and brought back. He 
 was a former schoolmaster condemned for a criminal 
 outrage. Oh, determined dog he was ! He is now 
 enduring five years' solitary confinement. No fear 
 of his catching the sunstroke now ! " 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 The secretary laughed complaisantly, but, seeing 
 how imperturbably calm his visitor remained, he 
 checked himself. 
 
 " And when the escapes succeed, what do you do? " 
 
 " We take precautions, in the first place, so that the 
 newspapers say nothing of the matter, and the min- 
 ister may not be disgraced. Ah, sir, the press ! That 
 is the administration's incessant preoccupation." 
 
 " Have you at present any convicts of exemplary 
 conduct and deserving of favor, as you said just now? " 
 
 "Ah! I see you are making serious investiga- 
 tions," said the secretary, looking at Christian with 
 considerable curiosity. 
 
 " Yes. I am to publish an article in The Century 
 Magazine on my return to England, and I should 
 like very detailed information. " 
 
 The secretary took up a register, turned over the 
 leaves, and said : 
 
 " We have, in the stores, a former notary who was 
 sent here when twenty years of age, for having 
 ruined a whole town in the provinces. He renders 
 us very important services. Again, in the hospital 
 we have a doctor condemned to penal servitude for 
 life for poisoning his mistress. Quite recently he 
 acted admirably during an epidemic of smallpox. 
 But for the devotion he displayed, I do not know 
 how we should have managed. As for myself, I 
 should not care to be attended by any other than 
 this doctor, in case I fell ill. He has also the prac- 
 tise of the governor's family." 
 
 " How curious ! " exclaimed Christian. " And how 
 French in character ! " 
 
TRAGOMER INTERVIEWS THE MARTYR 
 
 "Ah, sir!" continued the secretary, "one must 
 not be prejudiced in the presence of danger, and I 
 should prefer to be cured under the care of a con- 
 vict, than die under the treatment of an honest 
 man. " 
 
 " Certainly, and have you any others? " 
 
 " Yes, I may especially call to your attention the 
 case of a young man of good family in penal servi- 
 tude for life for the murder of his mistress. He has 
 fallen into a most extraordinary spiritual condition, 
 delighting the chaplain by his piety. If the governor 
 set him at liberty, and the regulations would allow it, 
 he would certainly turn priest. . . . They have been 
 obliged to separate him from his companions, who 
 insulted and ill-treated him cruelly, and would cer- 
 tainly have killed him in the end, under the pretext 
 that he was a mouton. In penitentiary slang a 
 mouton is one who spies on and denounces his com- 
 panions. " 
 
 "Ah, I understand, a mouchard, an informer!" 
 said Christian. 
 
 "Exactly!" 
 
 " And what is this strange young man's name? " 
 
 " Fr6neuse was his name, but now he is known by 
 the number 2317." 
 
 Tragomer quivered with emotion. His face 
 turned pale, and he felt a dull pain at the heart. 
 Mastering himself, he asked, with apparently per- 
 fect self-control ; 
 
 " Would it be possible for me to see the notary, 
 the doctor, and this apostle?" 
 
 "If you wish it." 
 
 203 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " I imagine it might be of service to me." 
 
 " Then I will write you out a permit. " 
 
 " I thank you for your kindness." 
 
 The functionary wrote a few words on a sheet of 
 paper and said : 
 
 " I am giving the order to have placed at your dis- 
 posal the cutter belonging to the Administration. 
 That will simplify all formalities for you. The cox- 
 swain will act as guide. " 
 
 "All right." 
 
 "Hello! Past eleven o'clock! Have you had 
 any lunch? " 
 
 " No. I partook of a light breakfast this morning. 
 If you will permit a traveler, toward whom you have 
 been so complaisant, especially as I am alone in this 
 land of yours, to beg you to lunch with him, it would 
 be an additional mark of your hospitality — so French 
 in its nature — toward him." 
 
 " Really, it is myself who ought to do the honors 
 of the place. " 
 
 "I should be displeased if you did not accept," 
 said Christian with a smile. 
 
 " Very well, I accept. " 
 
 After tying on his cravat and buttoning his waist- 
 coat, he took up his hat and left the office, followed 
 by Tragomer. 
 
 About three o'clock on the same day the cutter, 
 driven through the water by six pairs of oars vigor- 
 ously handled by as many galley-slaves, landed at the 
 Island of Nou, and Christian, preceded by the cox- 
 swain, made his way toward the penitentiary. There 
 was a building near the wall surrounding the con- 
 
 204 
 
TRAGOMER INTERVIEWS THE MARTYR 
 
 victs' camp. Over the door were inscribed in red 
 and black letters the words, " Disciplinary Preto- 
 rium." It was the tribunal before which unruly- 
 convicts were summoned to answer for their foolish 
 pranks. A kind of stage and a few benches filled 
 the room, the walls of which were whitewashed. 
 
 " Will you take a seat for a few minutes, sir? I 
 will go and bring No. 2317 to you. Smoke, if you 
 wish, for the air here is not very pleasant to 
 breathe." 
 
 Tragomer bowed but made no reply, leaning 
 against the stage from which the director, aided by 
 his assessors, dealt out punishments to those unfor- 
 tunate beings who already seemed as tho they 
 had reached the very utmost limit of human suffer- 
 ing. His heart was wrung by an unspeakable an- 
 guish. He had accomplished the object he had in 
 view, for the doors of the bagnio were opened to 
 him. Another moment and he was to find himself 
 in the presence of him he had come to seek from so 
 far, and who was now living in the grief of resigned 
 despair. 
 
 He was acquainted with his moral condition, that 
 the secretary had clearly explained, but in what con- 
 dition was he from a physical point of view? How 
 had he borne the terrible trial of living among bri- 
 gands? After two years of captivity in what state 
 would he find the handsome Fr6neuse? Would there 
 still be any strength left in that body which had been 
 submitted to tedious work, want of nourishment, and 
 the burning heat of an exhausting climate? Would 
 not grief have undermined and destroyed all his 
 
 20s 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 powers? Was it a poor, unhappy wretch, half dead 
 from sorrow and suffering, he was about to see be- 
 fore him, and would his rescue not be too late? A 
 step was heard in the silence, and, the door being 
 reopened, the attendant said : 
 
 " Come in ; this is the visitor who is authorized to 
 see you." 
 
 Tragomer had turned his face aside. At the out- 
 set, he wished to render it impossible that Jacques 
 should recognize him. He was waiting to see if 
 the attendant would leave him alone with the con- 
 vict, and was afraid lest a cry, a gesture, a word 
 even, should ruin everything. The attendant came 
 up to him and said : 
 
 " Here he is, sir. He is slightly mad, you know ; 
 listen to his silly remarks as long as you like ; when 
 you are tired, you have only to call me. I will stand 
 by the door. " 
 
 Tragomer experienced a delicious sensation of re- 
 lief. It would be possible for him to speak freely 
 to his friend. He was now burning with the desire 
 to turn round and look at him, standing there, a few 
 steps distant, humble and obedient, awaiting orders. 
 Glancing at him sideways, he saw his emaciated 
 outline in the rough linen clothing of the bagnio. 
 A shadow obstructed the light entering through the 
 doorway, the attendant had disappeared. Christian 
 immediately turned round, and placing his finger to 
 his lips, to counsel his friend to be on his guard, he 
 advanced with a smile. 
 
 Jacques de Fr^neuse made no sign, uttered not a 
 word, a livid glow spread over his thin, close-shaven 
 
 206 
 
TRAGOMER INTERVIEWS THE MARTYR 
 
 face. His eyes dilated with a look of fright, as 
 tho he were gazing upon a ghost. Trembling in 
 every limb, and with clasped hands and stammering 
 lips, he said, in low tones, doubtless afraid that the 
 welcome vision would fade away into thin air : 
 
 "Christian! Christian! Is it possible? Chris- 
 tian! " Tears began to flow from those calm, sad 
 eyes along his brown, emaciated cheeks. He stood 
 there, motionless, panting, half dead with anguish 
 and hope. Suddenly he saw his friend come to him, 
 he felt two affectionate hands grasping his own, and 
 he heard a voice say : 
 
 "Take care, the jailer might hear us! Then 
 everything would be over. . . . My poor Jacques ! 
 What a sad condition I have found you in ! Look at 
 me, let me see your eyes. . . . How you must have 
 suffered; you are so emaciated; so dejected! " 
 
 He had gently drawn him into the farthest comer 
 of the room. There it was difficult to see them from 
 outside, and impossible to hear them. They sat 
 down on a bench ; Tragomer took the poor martyr in 
 his arms, and pressed him to his heart, weeping and 
 laughing at the same time. The latter, ashamed, 
 tried to release himself from his friend's embrace. 
 
 " Are you not horrified to see me? " he said bit- 
 terly. " Look at my costume, this number, hence- 
 forth my only name. You are embracing a convict, 
 Tragomer ! You know that I am an assassin ! " 
 
 " No ! I know that you are innocent, and it is to 
 tell you so, to help you to prove this, that I have 
 traversed thousands of miles. Jacques, kiss me, the 
 one who kissed me last was your mother." 
 
 207 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " My mother! " said Jacques, bewildered. " Then 
 you have seen her, she has sent you, and her kiss at 
 the same time ! O Christian! this moment redeems 
 much suffering! Heaven has at last taken pity on 
 me ! But pay no attention to what I say ! What can 
 I tell you, when my whole life is summed up in the 
 word Misfortune? Speak! I am dying to hear 
 you. " 
 
 " The few moments we have to spend together, 
 my poor Jacques, are precious ones. I came here 
 under an assumed name. They think I am English. 
 In the harbor there is a vessel at anchor ; Marenval, 
 determined and ready for any event, is awaiting me 
 at this moment on board. " 
 
 " Marenval, " said Jacques. " Whence comes this 
 unlooked-for zeal on his part? " 
 
 " From regret that he did not do enough on your 
 behalf, and from his wish to repair what he now 
 judges an error. " 
 
 " But what do you intend to do? " 
 
 " Listen. At the time you were condemned, you 
 protested your innocence with all the energy you 
 were capable of. No one believed you. Those 
 who loved you most thought you had committed the 
 crime in a moment of madness. But they were 
 unwillingly obliged to give up your defense. The 
 murder was certain, evident, undeniable." 
 
 "Yes," said Jacques, "but it was not I who had 
 committed it. In prison, before the trial took place, 
 I pressed my head between my hands, for I felt, in- 
 deed, that I was going mad, the evidence and the 
 certainty that a murder had been committed over- 
 
 208 
 
TRAGOMER INTERVIEWS THE MARTYR 
 
 whelmed me. All the same, I knew I was innocent. 
 In the assize court before the jury, when the witness- 
 es filed out before me, all testifying to my crime, 
 when the Attorney-General spoke in accusation, I 
 wondered if my reason had forsaken me. For they 
 all said things I could neither deny nor refute, and 
 yet I knew I was innocent. During my advocate's 
 remarkable pleading, I felt that none of the argu- 
 ments he advanced, tho so skilfully presented — 
 for he was a very talented man — would carry con- 
 viction with them, and I was by no means astonished 
 to find myself condemned. And yet I was innocent ! 
 How comes it. Christian, that such iniquity can ex- 
 ist, that an unhappy man should be given up to tor- 
 ture when he has done nothing to deserve such 
 treatment? How comes it that he should be insulted, 
 disgraced, and bound in chains, if there is not in his 
 destiny a revenge from that Heaven toward which 
 he has been ungrateful? Nothing happens in life 
 without some determining reason, and happiness or 
 misery is merited according as one strives toward 
 goodness or gives oneself up to evil. I was born 
 under a lucky star. Fortune had lavished her most 
 precious favors all around me. I have neglected, 
 rejected, ruined everything. Instead of making use 
 of powerful influences to advance toward the higher 
 life, I have done all I could by their means to sink 
 into the mire. Social rank, wealth, intelligence, 
 physical advantages, all these I have made instru- 
 ments of idleness, dissipation, and debauchery. 
 Those dearest to me have been heart-broken by my 
 caprices, my mistakes, and my excesses. The only 
 14 209 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 way in which I can understand this catastrophe 
 which has put an end to my evil life is an expiation 
 of that very existence itself. Now, after long medi- 
 tation and much suffering, I have bowed beneath 
 the hand which has struck me, and I hope resigna- 
 tion in this trial of mine will make me deserving of 
 pity and pardon." 
 
 " But have you abandoned all hope of justification?" 
 
 " How can I prove, at this present moment, what 
 I was unable to prove two years ago? Mysterious 
 circumstances have combined to ruin me. I had a 
 debt to settle against destiny itself ; I am paying 
 it." 
 
 " Suppose I have brought to light the skilful, nay 
 the criminal, arrangement of the mysterious circum- 
 stances? " 
 
 " You, Tragomer ! Is it possible that you know that 
 which I have almost gone mad seeking to discover, 
 without the slightest success? " 
 
 "I do know." 
 
 " How did you find it out? " 
 
 "By chance." 
 
 "Then you know the culprit?" 
 
 " Not yet, but I know that it can not be yourself. " 
 
 " You have found the real murderer of L6a P6- 
 relli? " 
 
 " No, I have not found the real murderer of Lea 
 Pirelli, for the very simple reason that Lea Pirelli 
 is alive. " 
 
 Jacques eyes became fixed and set as tho fas- 
 cinated by a frightful vision in the distance. With 
 a shake of the head, he said : 
 
TRAGOMER INTERVIEWS THE MARTYR 
 
 " I saw her, stretched out in her own blood. She 
 was dead ! " 
 
 " And I saw her in full strength and health. She 
 was alive! " 
 
 A look of terror passed over Jacques's face. It 
 seemed to him that he was going mad. Lowering 
 his voice, he said in tones of fear : 
 
 " Christian, are you sure you are not raving? At 
 times a kind of doubt returns, making me believe 
 that my reason is impaired. Witnesses, judges, 
 everybody were agreed. I am here, in this livery of 
 disgrace. Look at my clean-shaven face, my closely 
 cropped hair. I am a convict, and that because 
 L^a P6relli is dead. What would be the meaning of 
 all this display of sternness, this excess of infamy, if 
 I had not had to answer for a crime really commit- 
 ted? How can this formidable and monstrous mysti- 
 fication be explained? And what must be said of 
 those who have lent themselves to its influence? " 
 
 He gave a hollow laugh, then tears came into his 
 eyes ; he bowed his head to conceal them, and his 
 trembling lips made Christian imagine that he was 
 praying. 
 
 " Jacques, I can not explain how it has all hap- 
 pened," replied Tragomer. "I simply assure you 
 that such is the case. An error has been committed. 
 I will not qualify my statement — words would be 
 inadequate to express the horror I feel — still it has 
 been committed. The innocence you proclaimed to 
 your judges, and which they would not admit, is now 
 assured. If a crime has been committed it is not 
 your act. I have assured your mother and sister 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 of this, and have succeeded, for a time at any rate, 
 in appeasing their grief and despair. I have declared 
 it to one of the magistrates who studied your case, 
 and found it indefensible, and have stupefied him 
 by my affirmations. I have proved to Marenval that 
 you were innocent. This skeptic — this egoist — has 
 become imbued with such enthusiasm that he has 
 chartered a ship, abandoned his life of pleasure, 
 crossed oceans, and endured fatigue, dangers, and 
 responsibilities of every kind to accompany me. 
 And now that I am here, assuring you that this 
 crime for which you have been condemned has not 
 been committed, will you be the only one who will 
 not believe me? " 
 
 " But a crime has been committed ! " exclaimed 
 Jacques in bewilderment. " I can still see the dead 
 woman, with her fair hair, her face bleeding and 
 shapeless " 
 
 "Shapeless!" 
 
 " Who was that woman if not L^a? " 
 
 " That is what I have come to ask you to tell me. " 
 
 The convict wrung his hands, overwhelmed by the 
 anguish of an ignorance he felt to be mortal. 
 
 " I do not, can not know. How can you expect 
 me? Oh, you torture me beyond endurance ! Leave 
 me alone in my dejection and misery. What are 
 you seeking? What is the current you are trying to 
 row against? It is all over, quite beyond recall. 
 One can not change one's destiny. I am a wretched 
 victim of an inexplicable fatality. You will not be 
 able to tear me away from my fate. No one — 
 nothing can do this ! Do not drive me crazy with 
 
TRAGOMER INTERVIEWS THE MARTYR 
 
 hopes that can never be realized. Your ideas are 
 mad, you are mistaken. Leave me. I no longer 
 hope for anything but death, which will bring me 
 rest and the oblivion of all my troubles. " 
 
 " Have you abandoned hope to such an extent? " 
 exclaimed Tragomer. "What! has the effect of the 
 wretched condition in which you have been living 
 for the past two years been so complete that you 
 abandon all idea of justifying yourself and bringing 
 down punishment on those who are guilty? " 
 
 "You do not know, Christian, what kind of a 
 life I am passing here, and what mortal torture I 
 have suffered. I have become indifferent to every- 
 thing! " 
 
 " Even the hope of seeing your mother and sister 
 again ! " 
 
 " Oh, no ! Everything but that ! I want nothing 
 more! But how could you give me this happiness? 
 I am a convict, and, however benevolent people 
 might be toward me, I can not hope to be liberated 
 till years and years have elapsed. Besides, I should 
 never be able to return to France ; my mother and 
 sister would be obliged to come here. The reason 
 they have not come with you on this occasion is 
 that they have recognized how impossible it was. 
 They would never do it now. We shall die without 
 ever seeing one another again. That is what is 
 breaking my heart. Christian. I can put up with 
 my wretched lot, I can resign myself to suffering, 
 but I can never console myself for having brought 
 pain and grief on those I love. " 
 
 His head sank almost to his knees, and, with his 
 213 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 emaciated body bent in two, enveloped in a coarse 
 linen garb, he wept and groaned like a child. The 
 attendant, on bearing this sound, drew near the door, 
 and, seeing Tragomer seated near the poor fellow, 
 addressed him. 
 
 214 
 
Chapter III 
 
 A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 " Ah ! he is telling you his history, and that affects 
 him," said the attendant. "He is not at all bad, 
 altho it was a terrible crime which brought him 
 here. ... If all the rest were like him our work 
 would be considerably lessened. . . . We could 
 afford, under such conditions, to be humane. . . . 
 But the majority are rascals, who would kill one, 
 sir, unless one had a revolver at his girdle. . . . 
 Have you finished your interview with him, sir? In 
 that case I can take him back to his room. " 
 
 " In a moment," said Tragomer calmly. " He has 
 moved me greatly by his recital, and I should like to 
 hear the end of his adventure." 
 
 " As you please. " 
 
 And the attendant, lighting a cigarette, returned 
 to his seat in the shade, where he patiently awaited 
 Tragomer. 
 
 "You see, Jacques, that our time is limited," 
 resumed Tragomer. " I shall soon have to leave you 
 And yet I have told you nothing of our plans. If 
 you wait here till a ray of truth burst forth, and your 
 innocence is proved, whole years may elapse. Your 
 mother may die without seeing you again. You 
 
 215 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 yourself may not live long under such conditions as 
 the present. Besides, it is impossible for us to de- 
 termine who is really responsible — to unravel the 
 network of the proofs entangled all around you — un- 
 less you are by our side, working, guiding, and sup- 
 plying us with necessary information. The work 
 undertaken will be slow — justice slower still. We 
 must act at once and anticipate justice." 
 
 "Then what plan have you been meditating?" 
 asked Jacques stupefied. 
 
 " A plan of escape. " 
 
 " For me? " 
 
 " Yes. . . . This must be possible. I am assured 
 that you are left in comparative liberty. You work 
 and sleep in a building close to the offices. . . . 
 What time at night are you alone? " 
 
 "I will tell you nothing," said Jacques harshly. 
 " It is vain for you to tempt me ; I will not run 
 away. " 
 
 " You refuse your liberty? " 
 
 "I will not take it." 
 
 " Do you think it will be given you? " 
 
 " If you have the proofs of my innocence, seek the 
 revision of my trial. " 
 
 " What ! Do you not understand that we should 
 have to face all the difficulties your enemies would 
 heap upon us, that it would be necessary to oppose 
 a complete lack of acquiescence in the revision on 
 the part of the entire judicial management. . . . 
 Begin by escaping. Afterward we will prove that 
 you were not guilty — that I can promise you on my 
 word of honor. " 
 
 216 
 
A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 Jacques raised his head. In all his friend had just 
 said two words especially had claimed his attention : 
 your enemies. Until then, he had accused fate for 
 his misfortune. This impenetrable obscurity in 
 which his thoughts were shrouded had helped to 
 appease him. After having been exasperated 
 against the mysterious element in his lot, he had 
 come to consider it as a cause for resignation. Now 
 Tragomer had cast into his mind an unexpected 
 leaven. The dejected calm, which had thrown a 
 languid spell over him, was troubled for a moment, 
 as tho by a sudden fermentation. His enemies! 
 He would like to know who they were — and a burn- 
 ing curiosity had now replaced his careless indiffer- 
 ence. 
 
 " Do you think my ruin was prepared by those 
 whose wish it was to injure me? " 
 
 " I have no doubt of it." 
 
 " Do you know who they are? " 
 
 " I have my suspicions." 
 
 "Name them." 
 
 In his friend's eyes Tragomer had seen the light 
 of intelligence revive. He recognized the look. It 
 was no longer the depressed and indifferent convict 
 he had before him. Jacques de Fr^neuse had reap- 
 peared. 
 
 " If I name the one who has carried through the 
 whole intrigue, beyond all doubt you will shudder 
 with horror, so base and cowardly has his action 
 been. It would be impossible to be betrayed by 
 one on whom you had a greater right to rely, 
 who knew all your thoughts and actions, who was 
 
 217 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 more certainly capable of ruining you because you 
 had entire confidence in him. . . . Imagine another 
 •!— myself. Suppose you had been betrayed by a 
 second Christian. Question your heart, Jacques, 
 and you will find the one I mean." 
 
 The wretched man's expression became terrible 
 to behold. He opened wide his eyes, as tho a 
 frightful spectacle were being unfolded before him ; 
 his lips trembled, he raised his hands to heaven, and 
 with a cry of despair shouted out the name : 
 
 "Sorfege!" 
 
 Tragomer smiled. 
 
 "Ah, you have not hesitated! It could be none 
 other. Yes, Sorfege, the discreet and cunning So- 
 rhge, who has betrayed, sold, and dishonored his 
 friend!" 
 
 " For what reason? " exclaimed Jacques, in a furi- 
 ous protest of dismay. " Why did he do it? " 
 
 " Ah ! that is what we shall ask Sorfege himself ; 
 and you may be sure he will confess to us once we 
 have him in our hands. I have already seen how 
 pale and startled he looked when he discovered that 
 I had suspicions of his infamy. Had I not feared to 
 unfold to him our plans, I could have confounded 
 him, as I had the means of doing so. But in that 
 case he would have escaped and I could not have 
 rescued you. On the contrary, I reassured him — 
 threw him on a false scent — in order to obtain free- 
 dom of action. If once Sorfege had been thoroughly 
 aroused, the proofs would have disappeared and 
 everything would have been lost. Do you now 
 understand, Jacques, that you must escape without 
 
 218 
 
A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 delay? The opportunity is a unique one. To-mor- 
 row, if you will risk the peril, we may be on the 
 open sea, and that would mean for you liberty and 
 restoration to your rights." 
 
 " You are driving me mad! " cried the condemned 
 man. " All these fresh thoughts come striking my 
 poor brain — tired and benumbed as it is — within 
 such a short interval. I have lost the habit of exer- 
 cising my will power. I am nothing more than a 
 poor enslaved beast. What am I to do? Abandon 
 in a single day all the pledges of resignation and of 
 prudence I have given? . . . Expose myself, if re- 
 captured, to pass for a hypocrite and a liar ! Trago- 
 mer, I can not do it ! . . . Leave me to my fate ! " 
 
 " Jacques, if you will not come with me of your 
 own free will, I will forcibly carry you off," said 
 Christian with terrible energy. "I am ready for 
 anything. I have sworn to your sister that I would 
 restore you to her affection. You understand — to 
 Marie de Frdneuse, whom I love, but who will be 
 mine only on condition I rescue you. It is not for 
 you alone I am making this attempt ; it is also for 
 myself. I know what I want and what I must do to 
 obtain it. If you force me to extremes, I will re- 
 turn at the head of my men and carry you off by 
 main force. In the scuffle I shall risk my life and 
 theirs at the same time. But I will pay them well, 
 and they will not hesitate. ... It is for you to 
 decide. " 
 
 "Well, I will obey you," said Jacques, suddenly 
 making up his mind. " So much misfortune shall 
 be avoided if I can prevent it by exposing myself 
 
 219 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 alone to danger. But even thus, what risks must 
 be run ! Leaving here is nothing. ... I only need 
 a costume to prevent myself being recognized out- 
 side the camp. " 
 
 " We will decide upon a spot where I will bring 
 you a suit exactly like those worn by our sailors." 
 
 " I shall have to reach the beach and wait till 
 night comes, then a small boat will come and pick 
 me up." 
 
 " I will remain with you. ... I must not leave 
 you. " 
 
 " But the boat will not be allowed to land, on ac- 
 count of the strict supervision. It will have to cruise 
 about in the open, and we shall be compelled to 
 reach it by swimming. . . . Shall I have sufficient 
 strength? " 
 
 " I will support you — bear you up — if necessary. " 
 
 " And the sharks? " said Jacques. " Do you not 
 know that they abound in these waters, and that 
 there are a hundred chances to one against our 
 escaping them? They are the best custodians of the 
 island — that fact the administration knows quite 
 well. There is scarcely any watch kept on the sea, 
 so dangerous is all escape in that way." 
 
 " We will put this confidence to our profit. . . . 
 As for the sharks, we will run the risk. Five hun- 
 dred yards' swimming, less perhaps. . . . Besides, 
 we shall be armed. . The steam pinnace will 
 come to our aid without any delay." 
 
 "Very well! To-morrow, then. Go now. We 
 must not give rise to suspicions, as now my resolu- 
 tion is fixed. . . . We must separate. " 
 
A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 Tragomer grasped the poor convict in his arms, 
 and was assured by the vigor of his friend's embrace 
 that Jacques would not break his engagement. 
 
 " I am going now, my good fellow ; you may take 
 your prisoner back to his room. " 
 
 On the threshold Christian exchanged a few words 
 with the keeper. 
 
 "You are interested in him, sir," the keeper said. 
 " He is a very good fellow, and quite harmless. . . . 
 He is allowed considerable freedom. No danger of 
 his misconducting himself. ... If his door were 
 left open, he would not wish to escape. Come, No. 
 2317, return to your hut, alone. ... I will accom- 
 pany you myself, sir." 
 
 Jacques bowed his head to conceal the excitement 
 manifest in his countenance. He stammered out as 
 he passed Tragomer : 
 
 " Good-by, sir ; do not forget that you have prom- 
 ised me a few books." 
 
 " I will not forget; good-by! " 
 
 The convict disappeared. Christian followed him 
 with impassive look. 
 
 "He is slightly crazy," he said to the attendant. 
 " But I believe, as you do, that he is quite harm- 
 less." 
 
 "A mere child, sir." 
 
 " Where does he live? " 
 
 " I will show you the very spot. It is near the 
 chaplain's house, in a building used as a storeroom 
 for ropes. The smell of hemp is healthy. He is 
 very comfortable there, and, besides, he can talk to 
 the chaplain. Oh ! that is a great comfort to him, 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 as it appears he has ideas of his own on things in 
 general. Yes, a little crazy, as you said, sir. . . . 
 Here is his lodging." 
 
 Tragomer halted. 
 
 "Good! I will call and visit him to-morrow, 
 when I intend to return to see the doctor and the 
 notary." 
 
 " Ah ! The Montyons? " exclaimed the soldier, 
 with a smile. " Good, very good! " 
 
 And as Tragomer looked at him in astonishment 
 he replied : 
 
 " We call them Montyons because here they might 
 compete for the prize of virtue. A mere jest, sir ; 
 they are very honest fellows, after all. " 
 
 "Let us go back to Noumea," said Tragomer. 
 "To-morrow, about the same hour, I will return. 
 Shall I require a fresh permit? " 
 
 " Yes, that is indispensable. Although you are 
 now well known." 
 
 " And you will accompany me? " 
 
 " It is my duty to do so." 
 
 They had reached the quay, where the rowers in 
 full blaze of the sun lay sleeping, stretched out on 
 the seats of the cutter, rocked gently by the slight 
 swell of the sea, which died away at the steps of 
 the gangway. The attendant gave a shrill whistle, 
 whereon the galley-slaves, roused from their slum- 
 bers, sprang to their feet, their pale faces looking 
 troubled and anxious. 
 
 " Jump in, sir I Now then, all together ! " 
 
 The boat's bows shot through the surf of the bay, 
 and Tragomer, abandoning himself to his thoughts, 
 
A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 rocked gently with the boat as with rhythmic motion 
 the oars struck the water. 
 
 An hour later he lightly scaled the steps leading 
 to the yacht and leaped on deck. 
 
 Marenval, disguised beyond recognition in his 
 white flannel costume, wearing a sailor's cap orna- 
 mented with gold lace, his face tanned by continued 
 exposure to the open air, and his beard all shaggy 
 and untrimmed, advanced eagerly to meet his friend, 
 and leading him to a retired spot beneath a canvas 
 awning which protected the deck from the sun's 
 rays, asked him eagerly: 
 
 "Well? Have you seen him? " 
 
 " I have just left him." 
 
 " Have you settled everything? " 
 
 " Not without considerable difficulty." 
 
 " What are you telling me? " 
 
 "The sad truth. I was almost forced to use 
 threats to induce him to escape. " 
 
 Marenval made a gesture of astonishment. 
 
 " Have we come too late? Has he not sufficient 
 energy or strength to effect an escape? " 
 
 " Yes, he has the strength ; he was lacking in will 
 power." 
 
 " He preferred to stay behind? " 
 
 " Yes, he is under the influence of certain ideas 
 of resignation held only by fatalists. He was hor- 
 rified at the thought of a struggle for freedom. 
 Mere action terrified him. At one time I thought 
 his mind was deranged. . . . This terrible life he 
 has led here is calculated to crush the strongest will. 
 The more refined and sensitive one's soul the more 
 
 a«3 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 rapidly its power vanishes once submitted to such 
 trials. I was obliged to reveal Sorfege's treason to 
 restore him to his right mind. On hearing of that, 
 however, he leaped with rage and despair. . . . 
 Then I had him ! " 
 
 " What decision have you come to? " 
 
 " The simplest plan will be the best. To-morrow 
 I will take him a pea-jacket, a Tam-o'-shanter, and a 
 pair of sailor's trousers. I will stay on land all night, 
 under pretext of visiting the interior of the island the 
 following morning, and will help Jacques to reach 
 some part of the coast where, in the clefts among 
 the rocks, we shall be able to hide till nightfall. 
 Then you, in the steam pinnace, will cruise along the 
 coast of the island, keeping close inland when dark- 
 ness sets in, and the rest is only the matter of a few 
 minutes. We shall put to sea and try to reach the 
 boat. If I shout put on all speed, for this will be a 
 signal that we are in danger. In a few minutes every- 
 thing will be settled — our safety or our ruin." 
 
 " And the vessel? " 
 
 " To-morrow we will ask for her clearance papers 
 so that she will be ready to sail at seven o'clock in the 
 evening. We must meet her steaming by the island 
 Nou and ready to turn on full steam. 
 
 " We may be pursued, for there is a steamer in the 
 roadstead. And if the alarm is raised, we must pro- 
 vide against every eventuality; we shall be chased 
 immediately, and " 
 
 " There is nothing to fear ; our yacht is built for 
 speed." 
 
 " Suppose we are fired on? " 
 224 
 
A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 Marenval made no reply. His eyes strayed to the 
 four guns, whose copper muzzles projected from the 
 side. 
 
 "We have the wherewithal to defend ourselves, 
 have we not? That is what you are thinking," said 
 Tragomer. 
 
 " Yes," said Marenval, " but in that case we should 
 be regular buccaneers. And the law would not look 
 on the matter as a jest. Therefore, we must try to 
 avoid a fight." 
 
 " Still, suppose it is inevitable? " 
 
 " Will the captain and crew obey orders? " 
 
 " The captain is an Englishman. He will not al- 
 low himself to be captured. His crew is under per- 
 fect discipline ; they will execute any order given. " 
 
 Marenval sighed. He had foreseen the difficulties 
 and the danger. The moment had come to meet 
 them, so he boldly took his stand. 
 
 " We will overcome all difficulties, " he said. " Up 
 to the present everything we have done has suc- 
 ceeded. We have had splendid weather all the time. 
 Our yacht is capable of eighteen knots an hour for 
 twelve hours without slackening speed. The result 
 will depend on the speed with which we can come to 
 your help to-morrow night. Minutes then will be 
 more important than hours later on. If you rely 
 on me, everything will take place for the best. I 
 shall not leave the bridge. And, upon my word of 
 honor, if everything must be risked to come to your 
 help. . . . Well ! We will risk everything ! " 
 
 Night was rapidly approaching. Through the 
 transparent haze extending over the sea the lights of 
 15 225 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 the island of Nou gleamed one by one in the dark- 
 ness, and the outlines of the penitentiary camps and 
 shops might be seen in the distance under the glare 
 of the beacon-lights. On that silent roadstead, in 
 the midst of that obscurity which had fallen with 
 such sudden rapidity, this picture of the bagnio, thus 
 revealed by the lights which helped to keep watch 
 over these wretched inhabitants, cast a veil of sad- 
 over the minds of the two friends. What passions 
 of regret and grief lay fermenting in this abode of 
 crime and shame ! Under the limpid starry sky a 
 cry of hatred and vengeance arose on the evening 
 air. And in that peace and warmth, amid the calm 
 serenity of nature, human beings — veritably tamed 
 — lay there cursing their hopeless lot, a life of suf- 
 fering and misery. 
 
 The attendant who had accompanied Tragomer 
 pointed to the rope-yard, saying: 
 
 " Here is the place, sir. If you would like to 
 enter, I will summon the prisoner." 
 
 Christian turned round to the sailor who accom- 
 panied him and said in English : 
 
 " Come in with me, Dougall." 
 
 The man, who was carrying a small wooden box 
 on his shoulder, touched his cap with his hand, and 
 advanced as though he would enter the room, when 
 the sentry stopped him and said : 
 
 " You must leave your box outside. It is against 
 the regulations to carry anything into the building 
 without a permit." 
 
 "Here it is," said the attendant, taking a paper 
 from his pocket. 
 
 226 
 
A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 The sailor followed Tragomer into the hut where, 
 seated on the floor, and leaning against the wall, 
 a number of convicts, with chains fastened to the 
 waist, were picking oakum. They raised their 
 heads to look at the visitor, while their hands, ach- 
 ing with the rough work, remained motionless. A 
 dull growl arose from these human cattle. On see- 
 ing the keeper, however, as he closed the door, they 
 were awed into silence. The three men crossed a 
 small yard adjoining the disciplinary-ground, where 
 through the railing Tragomer 's eyes were attracted 
 by a harrowing sight. There, an unhappy wretch, 
 his head covered with a kind of monk's cowl, through 
 the holes of which a pair of eyes savagely gleamed, 
 was moving up and down the courtyard like a wild 
 beast in its cage. His walk was slow, while the chain 
 to which he was bound clanged harshly at his every 
 step. Awful was the sight of this solitary masked 
 individual, gloomily dragging his chain under the 
 burning blaze of the midday sun. 
 
 " What is that man doing there? " asked Tragomer 
 of the attendant. 
 
 " He is taking half an hour's exercise. Afterward 
 he will return to his dungeon. He tried to escape, 
 but was caught, and is now paying the penalty of two 
 years' solitary confinement. He sees and speaks to 
 no one, and lives in a cell three yards long and one 
 yard wide." 
 
 "A veritable black hole!" exclaimed Tragomer, 
 horrified. "So this is the fate that awaits the 
 wretched beings who try to escape from here. " 
 
 "Ah, sir! If they were not dealt with rather 
 227 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 harshly, there would be no means of keeping the 
 upper hand. " 
 
 " Still, it is very natural for a convict to wish to 
 escape." 
 
 " True, but it gives us a great deal of anxiety. 
 Therefore, no leniency is shown toward those who 
 attempt it, and are recaptured. " 
 
 The solitary convict, veiled in his cowl, continued 
 his weary walk. Christian shuddered at the thought 
 that if Jacques, once free, were again to fall into the 
 hands of his keepers a similar fate would befall him. 
 Instinctively he sought for the revolver he had placed 
 in his pocket before starting. Death appeared pref- 
 erable in his eyes to the punishment meted out to 
 this immured convict, who never left his stone cage, 
 except to take exercise, head covered with cowl, so 
 that neither the rays of the sun nor the open air of 
 the sky ever touched his face. 
 
 They passed in front of a forge where convicts 
 were molding on an anvil the manacles and chains 
 which were to be used as fetters for their companions 
 in misfortune. Tragomer and the keeper approached 
 a door over which appeared the inscription : " Annex 
 Store- Office." 
 
 " Here we are," said the attendant. 
 
 Jacques de Fr^neuse was seated there in a small 
 room containing a table and two benches, engaged in 
 copying into a register a mass of notes that lay be- 
 fore him. Raising his head, he blushed as he saw 
 his friend enter. Nevertheless he stayed in his place, 
 pen in hand, awaiting the attendant's order. 
 
 " You may stop your work while Monsieur is here. 
 228 
 
A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 These are some books he has been authorized to 
 bring you." 
 
 The sailor opened the box, took from it a Bible, a 
 book of travel, and some packets of tobacco. 
 
 "I hope you will accept these few cigars," said 
 Tragomer to the keeper, "you will not find the 
 like in these parts. As for the tobacco, I beg of you 
 to leave it for this poor convict." 
 
 "Thank the gentleman, 2137. Here you will 
 have enough to last you several months, if you can 
 keep it from being stolen by the rest. Come ! You 
 are very lucky. All the visitors are not so gen- 
 erous." 
 
 " Thank you, sir, " said the convict humbly. 
 
 " When you wish to return, sir, I will await for 
 you with the boat. But meantime, I must go and 
 speak to the commandant, who lives at the far 
 end of the penitentiary. I shall be with him for an 
 hour." 
 
 " Take your time. I will not return till the time 
 limit expires." 
 
 " Six o'clock. It will be dark." 
 
 " Take the sailor with you. Do not change any of 
 our arrangements, Dougall." 
 
 The sailor gave a salute and left the room, pre- 
 ceded by the keeper. Tragomer stood on the thresh- 
 old watching to make certain that the road they 
 were taking was different from the one by which 
 they had come. They would consequently not be 
 obliged to pass the sentry again. Luck was evi- 
 dently in favor of Jacques. Closing the door. Chris- 
 tian clasped his friend to his breast, and giving him 
 
 229 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 a look which seemed to search his very soul, he 
 said: 
 
 " Still determined? " 
 
 " Resigned to follow you since you wish it. Re- 
 solved to suffer, since suffering must come. " 
 
 "Good! We have only a few moments to our- 
 selves. For two hours I have been lounging about 
 the penitentiary to kill time, listening to the senseless 
 talk of an idiot who was formerly a notary and the 
 wailing of an insane paralytic who used to be a doc- 
 tor. My poor friend, ten years of this hellish exist- 
 ence would have reduced you to a similar condition. 
 Better meet death in an attempt for freedom." 
 
 All the time Tragomer was speaking he was rapidly 
 undressing himself. Under his white vest was a 
 pea-jacket of blue cloth similar to the one worn by 
 the sailor Dougall, and under his trousers another 
 pair of the same goods as the pea-jacket. From 
 his pockets he took out a red-bordered Tam-o'-shanter 
 and a pair of shoes. 
 
 " Come, quick, undress ! Do we run no risk of 
 being surprised? " 
 
 " No ; no one will come if the keeper has really 
 gone. But how shall I take off my chains? " 
 
 "Wait a moment!" 
 
 From his side pocket Tragomer took out a ham- 
 mer and a small steel saw mounted on a bow, similar 
 to those used for fretwork. He could not refrain from 
 a smile as he exclaimed : 
 
 " Burglar's instruments." 
 
 Already he was dexterously working the saw, and 
 like dust the filings fell without the rasping of the 
 
 230 
 
A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 saw on the iron being heard by any but themselves. 
 After sawing away for a quarter of an hour, the 
 ring on the arm was cut half through. Then Tra- 
 gomer gave the manacle a sharp blow with the 
 hammer and broke it off. To free the bound man's 
 leg was the next task, and this was accomplished 
 more quickly. The chain fell to the floor, and with 
 a sigh of relief Jacques stretched his limbs free at last 
 from the infamous bond. Tragomer picked up the 
 chain, rolled it up, and was preparing to conceal it 
 when Jacques said : 
 
 " Take off those two rings, I wish to take them 
 with me." 
 
 Again striking freely on the chain, this time with- 
 out any fear of injuring the prisoner, Tragomer 
 severed the two manacles and placed the odious 
 bracelets in his pocket, as Jacques, throwing off his 
 squalid prison clothes, put on those that his friend 
 had brought him. Dressed in uniform and with 
 shoes on his feet, Jacques's appearance was very 
 different from that in his convict dress. He 
 seemed taller, broader-shouldered, and no longer 
 bent beneath a load of infamy and despair. His 
 pallid, hairless face alone might still attract atten- 
 tion and betray him. Tragomer took out his pocket- 
 book, from which he drew a small case full of 
 crayons. He made Jacques sit down, and, as though 
 preparing him for a fancy ball, gave his face and 
 forehead a reddish hue. Then, with the utmost 
 care, he fastened to his chin a reddish beard. At 
 last, satisfied with his work, he handed Jacques a 
 small round mirror, saying : 
 
 231 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Look ! Do you recognize yourself? " 
 
 Jacques looked in the mirror and saw the reflection 
 of a vigorous sailor, bronzed by a tropical sun, and 
 no longer the wretched, discouraged countenance 
 of poor 2317. Tragomer, handing him a revolver, 
 said, with a resolute air : 
 
 " Now, take this pistol. It is understood that you 
 must not be recaptured alive ! If necessary, I will 
 defend you with my last breath." 
 
 " Do not be alarmed, " said Jacques, with a smile. 
 " The last shot shall be for me. " 
 
 "Well, take this box on your shoulder, carry it 
 as Dougall did, and let us start. " 
 
 Jacques then turned to Tragomer, and, before 
 crossing the threshold of that miserable hut in 
 which he had suffered so much, flung himself into 
 his friend's arms with the exclamation: 
 
 "Thanks, Christian, thanks, whatever may hap- 
 pen." 
 
 "Come," said Tragomer, "keep cool, and now let 
 us go forward. " 
 
 They crossed the yard, where the small forge was, 
 entered the rope-yard, in which the convicts con- 
 tinued their work, lacerating their fingers as they 
 picked the rough strands of oakum, and reached the 
 entrance to the building where the sentry stood. 
 Leaning against his sentry-box and supported by his 
 rifle, the soldier, protected from the glancing rays of 
 the sun, appeared as though he had not stirred an 
 inch. He glanced carelessly at the two men, recog- 
 nized the foreign visitor and the sailor bearing the 
 box, and did not move a muscle. Tragomer, pale 
 
 232 
 
A DARING PLAN OP ESCAPE 
 
 with emotion and with beating heart, raised his hand 
 to his helmet and said as he passed : 
 
 "Goodnight." 
 
 "Good night," the sentry replied. 
 
 Jacquefe was now in the street, but not yet out o£ 
 the penitentiary. The enclosure had still to be 
 passed. But Christian had no longer any apprehen- 
 sion, for in his pocket he carried a permit under his 
 name and that of Dougall. Encouraged by his first 
 success, he was prepared to cope with the attendant 
 to force a passage if necessary. A feeling of exalta- 
 tion, the result of the emotions he had just passed 
 through, came over him. He felt he possessed the 
 strength of ten men, and was now sure of final suc- 
 cess. On reaching the railing they chanced to fall 
 upon a body of convicts filing off on their return to 
 camp. The keeper was busy counting his board- 
 ers, and was swearing like a Turk at two convicts 
 who had just upset a small cask of liquid resin, the 
 smell of which infected the whole surrounding at- 
 mosphere. 
 
 " Ah ! d the slovens ! They have done it on 
 
 purpose!" shouted the keeper. "A week's soli- 
 tary confinement and dry bread! Who is to clear 
 away this dirty mess? Not I, for certain. Corporal, 
 keep these fools here till everything is cleaned up. 
 If they can not remove it with their hands, let them 
 lick it up with their tongues. " 
 
 He saw Tragomer and his sailor approaching to 
 pass out. 
 
 " Ah ! Here are the English now, " he growled. 
 "Good! Pass! We have no time to talk. " 
 
 233 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 He continued bullying the convicts about their 
 clumsiness. Tragomer and Jacques were now out- 
 side. 
 
 "Two points to the good," said Christian, in a 
 burst of gaiety. " We have only three ' chances 
 against us now. We must reach the shore and hide, 
 and then wait for the small boat that is to take us to 
 the yacht. To the right. " 
 
 They turned their backs on the quay and made their 
 way toward the sea. Natives, freedmen, and soldiers 
 looked inquisitively at them as they passed. On 
 turning round a shed Jacques flung down his box 
 and, quite untrammeled, walked by Christian's side. 
 They passed behind a cluster of tamarisk growing in 
 the sand and found themselves alone at last. As far 
 as the eye could reach stretched the bush, which 
 came to within a hundred yards of the girdle of coral 
 reefs on which the waves broke. These banks were 
 covered with submarine vegetation, which gave them 
 a verdant tinge and cast on the surrounding sea a 
 greenish hue. 
 
 "Look!" said Tragomer, pointing to the liquid 
 expanse, a blue waste of waters. " The yacht ! " 
 
 As had been agreed upon the previous night the 
 ship was cruising about a mile off land, while the 
 black smoke poured from her funnels into the clear 
 sky. Her white hull, strait-sheered, was distinctly 
 outlined in the light of the setting sun . The slightest 
 details could be distinguished, and Christian imag- 
 ined he could see two men on the bridge. 
 
 " One of them must be Marenval." 
 
 "Come along," said Tragomer. "In an hour the 
 234 
 
A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 sun will set, and we must conceal ourselves. The 
 guard will wait in vain for me by his boat, then he 
 will commence a search, and your escape will be 
 discovered. That will be the moment when the real 
 danger will begin." 
 
 They were alone on the sand among the mastic- 
 trees and the jujube vegetation. Behind in the dis- 
 tance the somber outline of the penitentiary could 
 be seen. The yacht, with rhythmic motion, ma- 
 neuvered out to sea. Suddenly a puff of white smoke 
 shot from the side of the ship, and a second later a 
 faint report reached the ears of the fugitives. 
 
 " They have seen us," said Tragomer. " That is a 
 rifle-shot to attract our attention. Doubtless they are 
 keeping a lookout by telescope, though they are not 
 certain who we are. Let us give a reply! " 
 
 Breaking off a branch from a tree, Tragomer took 
 a long white scarf from his pocket and fastened it to 
 the end, thus making a flag. Then he waved it thrice 
 through the clear air. A second puff of smoke fol- 
 lowed the first, and the succeeding report gave the 
 two friends the assurance that their signal had been 
 understood. Encouraged by the knowledge that they 
 were in communication with the yacht, they picked 
 their way along the reefs with greater speed, shifting 
 farther and farther from the danger zone, and placed 
 the greatest possible amount of space between them- 
 selves and any chance of pursuit. 
 
 They were now among the rocks. A tongue of 
 coral jutted out into the sea, forming a kind of low 
 headland, which was battered on every side by the 
 breaking sea. This strip, which stretched out more 
 
 235 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 than half a mile into the water, almost resembled a 
 sleeping serpent. They made for the strip, which 
 was not more than two hundred yards wide. It was 
 covered entirely with sand, and ended in a knoll of 
 rocks. Toward this rising ground, forming as it did 
 a kind of shelter. Christian and Jacques directed their 
 steps. Suddenly they started with alarm, a cannon- 
 shot pealed, then a second, and a third, fired at reg- 
 ular intervals. At the same time the balmy breezes 
 brought to their ears sounds of rolling drums and the 
 confused murmur of hundreds of voices in the dis- 
 tance. They looked at one another with blanched 
 faces. 
 
 " Everything is discovered! " said Jacques. 
 
 " They are at our heels! " added Tragomer. 
 
 He cast a glance around. Like a globe of fire 
 the sun lit up the waves into which it was about 
 to sink. Another hour, perhaps, and the night, 
 suddenly descending, would have cast its welcome 
 shadows over their flight. But not before an hour; 
 and already the natives must be scouring the sandy 
 plains hunting for the fugitives' track. 
 
 " Let us try to reach the edge of the strip and hide 
 in the rocks," said Christian. 
 
 They advanced with rapid steps, and, reaching a 
 small grotto, they found themselves free for a few 
 moments to regain their breath and survey the out- 
 look. 
 
 " See ! " said Tragomer. " The yacht is tacking 
 and sending off the pinnace at the same time. They 
 have guessed that we are in danger and are coming 
 to our aid." 
 
 236 
 
A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 The steam-pinnace was quickly manned, and shot 
 rapidly through the waves. The distance sepa- 
 rating it from the land visibly lessened. Already 
 Tragomer's keen eye picked out Marenval seated 
 in the bows. But the bold attempt thus made to 
 effect their rescue suddenly exposed them to a mortal 
 danger. A squad of police beating the bush had 
 noticed the pinnace, and suspecting that some con- 
 nection existed between the convict's flight and the 
 progress of this vessel toward the coast, set to shout- 
 ing and, forming a semicircle, advanced threaten- 
 ingly in the direction of the rocks where the fugi- 
 tives were in hiding. 
 
 Tragomer cast a rapid glance around. He saw 
 before him the boat out at sea, Jacques's only hope 
 of safety, and behind the rocks an armed guard pre- 
 pared to risk everything if only they could recapture 
 the escaped convict. A thousand yards at least di- 
 vided the coral ledge and the boat. Five hundred 
 yards separated the pursuers from their prey. Un- 
 hesitatingly he threw off his peajacket and shirt, took 
 off his shoes, and retaining only his trousers, in the 
 girdle of which he passed a stout cutlass, he turned to 
 Jacques, who had followed his example, and said : 
 
 "We run the risk of being captured if we stay 
 here, and of being killed if we flee. We can not 
 hesitate. Besides, our minds are made up. To the 
 sea, Jacques, and freedom, if it please God ! " 
 
 After a final embrace, they silently slid into the 
 water and swam toward the open sea. For two 
 hundred yards, hidden from sight by the belt of 
 rocks, their escape was not noticed by the police. 
 
 237 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 However, a loud shout soon warned them that they 
 had been seen. A volley of rifle shots was fired at 
 them ; the balls, whistling past their ears, proved to 
 them that extreme measures would be resorted to by 
 their pursuers to prevent their escape. 
 
 " Dive, " said Tragomer. " They are firing again. " 
 
 But the expected volley did not come. A boat, in 
 command of one of the guards and manned by a 
 dozen native oarsmen, had shot out from the shore, 
 and was now between the fugitives and those firing 
 on them. At the same time, the steam-pinnace from 
 the yacht took all risk, and bore down in the direc- 
 tion of the swimmers. For some minutes a silent 
 but keen struggle took place between these two men 
 striving for liberty and life and those whose energies 
 were now centered in endeavoring to deprive them 
 of one or the other. In the silence the guard's voice 
 was heard furiously shouting to those in charge of 
 the pinnace : 
 
 " Haul off ! In the name of the law, halt ! " 
 
 But another voice, Marenval's, replied defiantly: 
 
 "Forward, all!" 
 
 The two boats were not fifty yards apart, and the 
 swimmers between them were as near being seized 
 by their purfeuers as saved by their rescuers. 
 
 "Halt!" again yelled the guard, "or I will sink 
 you ! " 
 
 "On! on!" replied Marenval, standing up in the 
 bow, as tho to give additional authority to the 
 order. 
 
 " Go ahead ! " shouted the helmsman. 
 
 The guard raised his revolver and aimed toward 
 238 
 
A DARING PLAN OF ESCAPE 
 
 the pinnace. A report followed, and Marenval's 
 white cap, carried off by the ball, fell into the sea. 
 At the same moment a terrible crash was heard. 
 The steam-pinnace had dashed at full speed into the 
 boat and completely stove her in. A cry of fear rent 
 the air, then a sudden quiet reigned, and on the sur- 
 face of the water nothing could be seen save the 
 pinnace. 
 
 "Help! Help!" yelled Tragomer, as he rose 
 above the surface. Friendly arms were soon out- 
 stretched, and the two fugitives, half drowned and 
 panting, were hauled into the pinnace. 
 
 Near the two swimmers, the guard and his men, 
 thus flung into the sea, were also struggling and 
 supporting themselves with the debris from their 
 boat. 
 
 " Lay low ! " ordered the helmsman. The sailors 
 obeyed. Another volley of rifle shots, fired by the 
 native police, whistled through the air. At the same 
 moment a second boat put out, and was rowed vigor- 
 ously toward the shipwrecked natives. 
 
 " Full speed ahead ! " shouted Marenval. " We will 
 postpone our embraces for a while," he added, in 
 gentler tones. 
 
 The pinnace tacked, and, cutting through the sea, 
 made for the yacht. At that moment the sun, like a 
 ball of fire, began to sink into the waves and soon 
 disappeared. Twilight sped rapidly on, and the 
 shouts of the natives on the distant shore were all 
 that could be heard. A sailor handed to Jacques and 
 Christian a bundle of clothing which had been pre- 
 pared for them. Still shivering, as much from ex- 
 
 -239 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 citement as from the cold sea-water, they threw off 
 their dripping garments and donned the dry clothing. 
 Not a word was exchanged until they were alongside 
 the yacht. 
 
 " Well? " asked the captain, leaning over the side. 
 
 " All right! " replied Tragomer. 
 
 Climbing the rope-ladder that hung along the side 
 of the vessel they stepped on deck. The pinnace was 
 raised, and, resuming its momentarily interrupted 
 course, the yacht, putting on full steam, set out to- 
 ward the open sea. 
 
 240 
 
Chapter IV 
 
 OUT ON THE OPEN SEA. 
 
 " Free ! my dear Jacques ! " said Marenval, as he 
 embraced the young man and looked at him tenderly. 
 " Poor fellow ! It was time we came ! How changed 
 you are ! " 
 
 Fr^neuse's pallid face, from which all the paint of 
 his disguise had been washed by the sea water, ap- 
 peared very sad and emaciated. 
 
 "Thank you, my friends," he said, in an outburst 
 of gratitude. " Thanks for your courage and devo- 
 tion ! I wish I could tell you how grateful I feel. 
 Words fail. Do pardon me!" 
 
 Tears were streaming down his cheeks. Wiping 
 them with the back of his hand he stifled a sob, 
 and with an uncertain gesture left them to make 
 his way toward the stern. There, sitting on a coil 
 of ropes and burying his head in his hands, he 
 plunged into deep meditation. 
 
 " We must leave him alone," said Tragomer. " He 
 must have time to come round. The transition from 
 abject despair to a return to life is too sudden and 
 overwhelming. To-morrow he will be calmer. His 
 ideas will then be more logically coherent and we 
 can question him to advantage. I compliment you, 
 i6 241 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Marenval. You have foiled the authorities of your 
 country with splendid decision. You have put your- 
 self outside the law, my dear friend. " 
 
 " Heavens ! Did you see that man in the bow try 
 to kill me? He had no scruples at hazarding a 
 safe shot. One of the bullets carried off my cap. 
 Another inch and I should have been killed." 
 
 " Anyhow, you did not miss. They were not long 
 before finding themselves in the water ! " 
 
 " My dear Tragomer," said Marenval gravely, " I 
 had to make up my mind. I saw that everything 
 would be lost if I did not sink their infernal boat. 
 Therefore, I did not hesitate a moment." 
 
 "You acted splendidly. But for j^ou, Marenval, 
 we should have been lost." 
 
 " I know; I am not by any means displeased with 
 the way in which I have carried this affair through. 
 Still, it was not the convict-keepers alone of whom I 
 was the most afraid on your behalf. From the time 
 that we left the yacht the pinnace was followed by an 
 enormous shark, which seemed as though waiting 
 for some one to fall into the water. It is a miracle 
 it did not make an appearance during the struggle." 
 
 " The motion of the boats, the shouts of the na- 
 tives, and the speed with which it all happened prob- 
 ably scared him. I, too, feared we might come 
 across some dogfish, and therefore armed myself with 
 a cutlass, and was determined not to allow myself to be 
 devoured without making a determined resistance. " 
 
 "I hope," said Marenval coldly," "the shark will 
 have got a bite of the fat sailor in the bows who was 
 so bent on shooting me." 
 
 242 
 
OUT ON THE OPEN SEA 
 
 " You are becoming quite ferocious, my friend. " 
 
 " That is just what I am when I am taken out of 
 my ordinary life and element. By the bye, what 
 about our- brave Dougall?" 
 
 "According to the proposed plan, Dougall must 
 have gone to the boat belonging to the administra- 
 tion, as though suspecting nothing. He will surely 
 have been kept back by the attendaiit who conducted 
 me." 
 
 " Was he the man in the bows? " 
 
 " No, he was not one of our pursuers. I am very 
 glad of it, for he was a fine fellow, and I should have 
 been sorry to have occasioned him any harm. He 
 had such a comical way of addressing me ; for you 
 know, Marenval, nothing will convince the colonial 
 authorities that this escape has not been carried 
 through by the English." 
 
 " You have taken every precaution with this ob- 
 ject in view. But what do you think will become 
 of our sailor?" 
 
 " Oh, Dougall is a very intelligent fellow ! He 
 does not know a word of French. To every ques- 
 tion he will reply : ' I do not understand ; take me to 
 the English consul.' Those are the instructions I 
 have given him. Once before the consul he will 
 have no further trouble. He has contributed in 
 no way to the escape or given any help whatever. 
 True, he accompanied me, but we separated just at 
 the time after which he might have been involved. 
 I have abandoned him ; that will be a proof that he 
 had nothing to do with the plot. He belongs to the 
 crew of the Albert Edward, from the port of South- 
 
 243 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 ampton. The maritime authorities of Noumea have 
 our papers. Out in the open the Albert Edward 
 again becomes the Magic, and they may investigate 
 if they wish. Meanwhile, with the hundred-pound 
 note I have given Dougall, he will take the steamer 
 for Sydney and reach England before we do, for he 
 will not have this dreadful Torres Strait to cross, 
 bristling as it is with dangerous reefs. " 
 
 Marenval nodded his head in assent and said: 
 
 " Do you think we shall be followed? " 
 
 "We shall know in an hour. But I have very 
 little anxiety on that score. We are going like the 
 wind, and a state despatch-boat is not likely to catch 
 up with our trim craft. These Englishmen know 
 how to build ships, there's no denying the fact. 
 Here is a pleasure-yacht speeding through the water 
 like a torpedo-boat." 
 
 " Shall we keep up this speed long? " 
 
 " Until we are out of French waters. Once in 
 neutral water, we shall slacken down to our ordinary 
 speed." 
 
 " When shall we be free from any possible cap- 
 ture? " 
 
 "About midnight." 
 
 " Well, suppose we take dinner, Tragomer. " 
 
 " Certainly. This bath has given me an appetite. " 
 
 " Shall we speak to Jacques? " 
 
 " No ; leave him to himself. The steward will 
 take him something to eat if he is hungry ; he will 
 be very well where he is. Solitude is good for the 
 troubled state of mind he is now in. " 
 
 They went below. Jacques, left alone in the stern 
 244 
 
OUT ON THE OPEN SEA 
 
 beneath the sail swollen by the wind, and leaning 
 against the side o£ the boat, was overwhelmed with 
 fatigue by reason of the strain to which his poor, 
 weak frame had been exposed. His miraculous re- 
 turn to liberty had dazed him, his dull head seemed 
 to move from side to side with the rolling of the 
 vessel, and in the gentle breeze of the summer night 
 he experienced for the first time in two years a de- 
 lightful sensation of quiet and calm. Under his feet 
 he felt the deck quiver with the rapid revolutions of 
 the horizontal shaft. The sound of the water, lashed 
 by the screw, gently lulled his ears, and he thought 
 within himself: Every revolution of the engine, 
 every movement of the ship, separates me from cap- 
 tivity and draws me nearer those who love me, and 
 have never ceased weeping for me. 
 
 A feeling of torpor came over his limbs; but his 
 mind, by degrees, became clearer, as though a mist 
 had been removed, and had left it full of intelligence 
 and action. Looking out on the vast expanse of 
 ocean, he saw in the distance, almost lost on the 
 horizon, the lighthouse beams shining forth like a 
 small pale speck, decreasing little by little and ready 
 to disappear. He was free, surrounded by friends, 
 returning to his country and his home. But at the 
 same time he had a struggle to go through. 
 
 A look of anxiety appeared on his brow. Liberty 
 imposed terrible duties on him. It must be justified 
 by the discovery of the real criminal. He could find 
 no excuse for his escape unless he sent the un- 
 punished criminal to replace him in the little hut by 
 the side of the forge where the convicts themselves 
 
 245 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 were hammering their own chains. Instinctively he 
 stretched out his arm, and with considerable joy felt 
 himself free from his rude manacle. The callus 
 made by that ring of shame and bondage could 
 plainly be seen, and would long be visible. 
 
 All the horrors of his infamous life returned to 
 his mind ; and the image of the chaplain, the only 
 man who had attempted to alleviate his wretched 
 lot, presented itself in his thoughts. It was this 
 holy man who, to exhort him to resignation, re- 
 minded him of the Savior's sufferings, and pointed 
 out to him the expiation of his past errors in the 
 unmerited torture he had to endure. These past 
 faults he looked upon as very grave and numerous. 
 In his repentance he offered his regrets to heaven 
 in prayer, asking God to accept them as a ransom 
 of his past life. 
 
 At that time he had no hope that his fate would 
 change. He looked upon himself as imprisoned 
 forever in that frightful enclosure, the abode of 
 misery, crime, and pain ; and it was with a fervent 
 heart full of resignation that he accepted his terrible 
 destiny. A burst of gratitude came over him; he 
 raised his eyes to heaven, and in the silence of that 
 waste of waters, beneath the starlit firmament, a 
 feeling of calmness and peace came over him as he 
 prayed with fervor, certain that it was to the grace 
 of God that he owed his salvation. The steward had 
 approached him, and placed within reach of his hand 
 the food his friends sent him. He neither heard 
 nor saw him, but remained deep in meditation, en- 
 veloped by the blackness of the night. The yacht 
 
 246 
 
OUT ON THE OPEN SEA 
 
 had extinguished its lights, the more easily to elude 
 any possible pursuit. Out on the open sea, in the 
 rapidity of the flight, Jacques's mind, full of serenity 
 and strength, was in perfect peace. He no longer 
 doubted that he would prove his innocence by ir- 
 refutable tokens. 
 
 The doubt which had so long tortured him, even 
 exciting him to believe that in a kind of delirium, 
 which he could not call to mind, he had perhaps 
 committed the crime he denied, was now replaced 
 by a firm conviction of innocence. He felt he had 
 another conscience ; he became another man. The 
 dejection caused by his confinement, which depressed 
 and prostrated him to such an extent as to deprive 
 him of material sensitiveness, was replaced by the 
 intelligent pride of one who is free in body and 
 capable of controlling his thoughts. 
 
 All night he remained in the same spot in deep 
 meditation. The watch's regular march to and 
 fro on the deck did not disturb him. He paid no 
 attention to the captain, who was standing on the 
 footbridge watching most anxiously the course of 
 his vessel. Indeed, he was in a kind of exalta- 
 tion in which all external sensations were abolished, 
 leaving him under the influence of his inner 
 thoughts alone. These latter were exquisite, for in 
 them he found once more all the treasures of his 
 refinement, his faith, and his honor, of which he 
 had been brutally deprived for two long years. As 
 dawn appeared, the stars began to die away. The 
 breeze freshened, and a number of sailors appeared 
 on deck. Jacques heaved a sigh; he understood 
 
 247 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 that he would have to quit these immaterial spheres 
 in which his soul had been resting and undergoing 
 a pro6ess of purification for so many hours, and again 
 take part in actual matter-of-fact life. He arose just 
 as day, by a sudden transition, succeeded night. 
 All around the ship was a vast expanse of sea. A 
 couple of leagues away to the right a large steamer 
 was lazily heading for the Loyalty Islands. Behind, 
 nothing suspicious ; before, the open sea, not a sail 
 or film of smoke to be seen. 
 
 "Well, Jacques," said Tragomer, "we are out of 
 danger at last. Now we can breathe." 
 
 Fr^neuse turned round. Tragomer came up to 
 meet him. He held out his hand with a smile. 
 
 248 
 
Chapter V 
 
 UNDER THE UNION JACK 
 
 "Pardon me, my friend, for leaving you last 
 night. I was like a wild beast which had escaped 
 from prison, and was startled by the open air and a 
 boundless horizon. I wanted to hide, to look out of 
 some shady corner, as I was no longer accustomed to 
 living in freedom. Now I have recovered. The bond 
 of servitude, you see, is difficult to shake off. Es- 
 pecially when it has been as heavy as that I have 
 borne." 
 
 Tragomer laid his hand on his friend's shoulder. 
 
 " You have two months before you in which to re- 
 gain complete command of yourself. That is how 
 this sea-trip will be beneficial to you. By degrees 
 you will regain your former habits, and when we 
 reach Europe, you will again be the Jacques of other 
 times." 
 
 A shadow passed over Fr6neuse's brow. 
 
 " The Jacques of former times ? Never again. 
 He is dead ; I have left him behind in the bagnio 
 with the garments I wore as a convict. The Jacques 
 you are taking back will have only one object in life 
 — to make those who loved him forget all the grief 
 he has occasioned them." 
 
 " That I heartily approve of," said Christian. " It 
 
 249 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 will be according to justice. But come with me into 
 your cabin, where you may dress yourself while 
 Marenval is rising. He is not so early a bird as 
 myself. Besides, the emotion and fatigue he went 
 through yesterday must have completely crushed 
 him. But he is well pleased, I can tell you, and 
 proud into the bargain. He would not give up his 
 cruise for double what it is costing him. His sole 
 regret is that he has not succeeded in keeping his 
 white sailor cap which the ball of the convict-guard 
 carried off. What a trophy for a man of peaceful 
 intentions such as he is! But he will have other 
 souvenirs. Ah, here is our captain!" A light-com- 
 plexioned young man, clean-shaved, and of ruddy 
 appearance, advanced. Tragomer said: 
 
 " Mr. Edwards, allow me to introduce my friend, 
 the Count de Fr6neuse. Just now the appearance 
 he presents is not very flattering, but shortly you 
 will see him to greater advantage." 
 
 " I am very pleased, sir," said the captain, with a 
 strong English accent, "to have been of service 
 to you. What these gentlemen told me renders the 
 service I have done them an easy and agreeable one. 
 We did run some risk yesterday, after all, " said the 
 Englishman, with a smile; "but this morning we 
 have only to deal with such ships as carry this 
 flag." 
 
 And with a proud gesture the captain pointed to 
 the Union Jack waving at the gaff of the mast abaft. 
 
 " Then you are quite free from anxiety? " asked 
 Tragomer. 
 
 " I am on the sea, which belongs to the whole 
 250 
 
UNDER THE UNION JACK 
 
 world, captain of my ship, and if any one dared to 
 challenge me, I should reply with this." 
 
 He gave a little friendly tap to one of the bronze 
 guns resting idly on the deck. Then he added, with 
 fine national pride : 
 
 " And all England would back me up." 
 
 " Where are we at the present moment, and what 
 is the course we are making? " asked Tragomer. 
 
 " We are near Bowen, Australia, and we are head- 
 ing for New Guinea. I am going to slacken our 
 speed. We are under no obligation to waste our 
 supply of coal. We shall not be able to obtain a 
 fresh supply before reaching Batavia. Therefore 
 we will set sail." 
 
 " Act as you judge best, captain. It is to our in- 
 terest to leave everything in your hands." 
 
 Descending into the saloon, they made their way 
 to the cabins. For the first time since he had left 
 France, Jacques experienced something of the com- 
 fort and luxury to which he had been accustomed 
 from childhood. A large cabin, furnished with a bed, 
 a mirrored wardrobe, and a washstand, had been 
 prepared for him. Perfect cleanliness was manifest 
 in every detail, and Jacques experienced a childlike 
 joy in discovering brushes, bottles, and all the trifling 
 utensils and articles which bring an element of re- 
 finement and elegance into life. 
 
 Sinking into an armchair, he stared all around as 
 though unable to satiate himself with the sight of 
 the objects presented to his gaze. Of a sudden he 
 turned pale. At the pillow of the bed he had noticed 
 two portraits in a gold frame, his mother and sister. 
 
 251 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Clothed in black, and looking pale and wan, they 
 seemed as though mourning for the absent loved 
 one. On the night before leaving Southampton 
 Marenval had received these photographs, intended 
 for Jacques. This was, as it were, an initial promise 
 of pardon before his actual return. 
 
 " They are greatly changed," said Jacques to his 
 friend after a long silence. 
 
 " And yet, just then, they were beginning to hope. " 
 
 " How shall I ever make them forget all they have 
 suffered for my sake? " 
 
 " Oh ! very easily ! Mothers and sisters are real 
 treasuries of indulgence. All that is necessary is 
 to return to them. What pained them most was not 
 that they believed you guilty, but the fact that they 
 knew you to be unhappy. " 
 
 " Tell me how they have been living the last two 
 years. " 
 
 " Like two recluses, two voluntary pariahs. They 
 have shunned society, which they accused of ruining 
 you, and have secluded themselves in their own 
 home, to mourn in silence. Everything outside of 
 yourself has become foreign to them. All who did 
 not share their faith in your innocence and their 
 sorrow at your martyrdom have been systematically 
 shut out from their life and thoughts. I myself " 
 
 " You, Christian? " exclaimed Jacques in surprise. 
 
 "Yes, because I, in the first moment of stupor, 
 humbly acquiesced in the sentence which con- 
 demned you, and failed to make sufficiently prompt 
 protest against the infamy imposed on you, I have 
 been repulsed by your mother and sister. Yes, by 
 
 252 
 
UNDER THE UNION JACK 
 
 your sister, whom I loved and still love, by Marie 
 even more severely than by her mother. I have 
 been forbidden entrance, as though I were an in- 
 truder, an enemy even. In spite of all my efforts, 
 I could obtain no indulgence. After an absence of 
 eighteen months, I have had to return with the first 
 indications of the error to which you had been the 
 victim, before Madame de Fr6neuse would consent 
 to see me. And you can form no idea of your sis- 
 ter's cruel severity. It was only at the last mo- 
 ment that I was permitted to see her, and, though 
 she held out her hand, it was because I assured her 
 I was going to risk my life to save you." 
 
 " Dear Marie ! And you, my poor Christian, you, 
 too, have been very unhappy on my account." 
 
 " I will have a brilliant revenge on her. When I 
 thrust you into her arms, she will be forced to recog- 
 nize that I am not ungrateful or indifferent. Her 
 pride will become more human, Jacques, and I shall 
 see her again smiling and affectionate as in former 
 days." 
 
 Jacques for a moment seemed wrapped in thought, 
 then, speaking slowly, as tho weighing the words he 
 uttered, said: 
 
 " For twenty-four hours. Christian, I have been 
 pondering on all you have revealed to me. The 
 night preceding my escape, when I was trembling 
 at the consequences my attempt might bring in its 
 train in case of failure ; that very night, too, when I 
 found myself free on the ship's deck, alone between 
 sky and sea in the presence of God, I thought how 
 strange your story was, and I made up my mind to 
 
 253 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 follow up the trail of the crime committed against 
 me. The work of my rehabilitation seemed to be my 
 very first duty. My mother and sister have mourned 
 over me for two years. I have suffered inexpressible 
 torture, and the real culprits rejoiced over my ruin 
 and ridiculed the disgrace that had befallen me. 
 They are monsters, and I wish to punish them. If 
 Lea is alive, and Sor^ge is aware of her disappear- 
 ance, if an unknown victim has been substituted for 
 the one I have been accused of killing, the truth 
 must be published, the motives that influenced them 
 must be known, as well as the way in which they 
 have succeeded in deceiving justice and myself. We 
 must unravel the skein, so skilfully entangled, from 
 the proofs piled up against me. It is indispensable 
 for you to tell me what you know, and for me to in- 
 form you of what you are ignorant. I did not say 
 everything when before the judge. I could not do 
 so. There are mysteries on which I would not 
 throw any light, because I should have had to com- 
 promise persons I judged to have no interest in this 
 affair. But who knows now if I am not mistaken? 
 It is from the mutual knowledge of what you have 
 discovered and what I have kept back that the light 
 of truth will probably flash forth. When we have 
 established our facts, according to probability, if 
 not in reality, then we shall take counsel together as 
 to the method by which we must act to obtain the 
 desired result." 
 
 "Ah! At last you are saying what I expected, 
 what I foresaw! " exclaimed Tragomer, eagerly. 
 " You did not reveal everything to the examining 
 
 254 
 
UNDER THE UNION JACK 
 
 magistrate; you did not tell all to the jury? You 
 were afraid of compromising whom? Perhaps those 
 very persons who were ruining you ! But we shall 
 understand it all now! And this enigma I have 
 vainly tried to solve will no longer perplex us. But 
 let us wait till Marenval comes. He, as well as 
 ourselves, has a right to know everything, as he is 
 sufficiently interested in your cause for us to keep 
 back nothing which will prove to him that it is a 
 noble and just one." 
 
 At that moment the door opened and Cyprien 
 made an appearance. Stretching out his hands to 
 Jacques, he advanced with a happy smile and said : 
 
 "Well! Is our passenger beginning to recover 
 from his emotion? " 
 
 " Your proteg6 can not thank you too much for 
 rescuing him." 
 
 " My dear friend, we shall have two months to 
 live together and plenty of time for mutual congrat- 
 ulations. Rescue apart, we will take a magnificent 
 voyage with you, Jacques. And as we shall spend 
 the time in becoming more impressed than ever 
 with your innocence, our minds will be perfectly at 
 ease." 
 
 Marenval 's kind, jovial manner restored to a 
 state of calm the already too-exalted imagination of 
 his two young friends. By giving them a just ap- 
 preciation of things he brought them back to a con- 
 dition of equilibrium. 
 
 " My dear Jacques, we must, in the first place, give 
 you a more civilized appearance. My servant will 
 be here shortly to shave you and trim your hair. In 
 
 255 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 the wardrobe you will find some linen and clothes 
 such as will fit you. Then, when you are washed 
 and dressed, you will feel more at home. There is 
 nothing like being in one's ordinary clothes to make 
 one resume discontinued habits. When you are 
 ready, come to the dining-room, where we will take 
 lunch; then afterward, if you feel like it, we will 
 have a chat." 
 
 The servant entered the cabin; Marenval and 
 Christian waved a friendly gesture to their guest 
 and went out on the deck. 
 
 256 
 
Chapter VI 
 
 TWO YEARS AGO 
 
 No one who saw Jacques dressed in a costume of 
 white swan-skin and wearing a trim sailor's cap, 
 stretched idly out in a rocking-chair and smoking an 
 excellent cigar, after lunching with his two friends, 
 could have recognized in this young yachtsman the 
 wretched-looking convict, who only the day before 
 was a miserable inmate of the bagnio at Nou. The 
 transformation had been effected by the valet Maren- 
 val had brought with him, for he could not do with- 
 out this remarkable man's services. A whole ward- 
 robe had been prepared for the escaped convict, 
 shower-bath, shaving utensils, brushes — in fact, all 
 the most minute necessities of a fin-de-sifecle toilet. 
 He was a sunburnt Fr^neuse — thin, emaciated, close- 
 cropped, and beardless, but still a Fr^neuse who 
 had regained his look and smile of former days. He 
 said to his companions: 
 
 " I must now give you such explanations as will 
 allow of our studying the problem in question, and 
 of solving it, I hope. First of all, I will account 
 for my position with regard to Lea Perelli. As you 
 know, I lived with her for nearly three years. In 
 the beginning I was passionately in love. On her 
 side, too, she also appeared to love me sincerely, 
 17 257 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 When I first met her she had just come from Flor- 
 ence, which city she had been obliged to leave be- 
 cause of the scandal caused by her rupture with and 
 divorce from the Chevalier San-Martino, her hus- 
 band, aide-de-camp of the Count de Turin. She was 
 a beautiful blonde, tall, dark-eyed, with the aris- 
 tocratic hands of a patrician ; her appearance created 
 a deep impression wherever she went. Devoid of 
 wit, tho very intelligent and well-read, she pos- 
 sessed physical attractions to a supreme degree. It 
 was difficult to be near her without falling madly 
 in love. Her haughty bearing and her talent as a 
 singer, which had gained her a brilliant success in 
 the aristocratic salons of Rome, took complete pos- 
 session of one whose imagination was already 
 troubled by her beauty. 
 
 " When I met her, she lived in the Rue d'Astorg 
 in a furnished apartment, quietly spending what re- 
 mained of her dowry, generously returned by the 
 Chevalier San-Martino; more than she merited, in 
 fact, considering the far from flattering treatment to 
 which his wife had submitted him. She was waited 
 upon very indifferently by a maid and a young valet 
 she had brought with her from Italy. The disorder 
 of every-day existence, the carelessness of the serv- 
 ants, and the irregularity of the service presented 
 quite a striking picture of Italian negligence. It 
 was a very curious mixture of luxury and poverty. 
 During the first few months of our liaison I have 
 seen Lea in a silk dressing-gown and wearing a 
 pair of sapphire earrings worth twenty thousand 
 francs, lunch at a table without a napkin, eating 
 
 258 
 
TWO YEARS AGO 
 
 herrings from a cracked plate, and drinking cham- 
 pagne from an ordinary tumbler. Appearance, order, 
 and decency in life were dead letters for her. The 
 only things she deemed of any importance were her 
 fancy and caprice, and these she satisfied before 
 everything else. 
 
 " I had met her at a charity concert at which she 
 had been singing in a very charming way some 
 Hungarian airs, accompanied by Maracksy, and 
 there I fell under the spell of her beauty. Stand- 
 ing there on the stage amid several society women 
 who were present to aid in the work, she looked a 
 very queen. She was chaperoned by the Marquis 
 Gionori, an old beau, well painted and laced up, 
 who had an uneasy way of caressing one's fin- 
 gers when shaking hands. He was no very re- 
 doubtable guardian, so I obtained an introduction to 
 the ravishing. Italian, and the very next morning 
 called at her home and left my card. I received a 
 prompt reply, and next week was invited to call and 
 take a cup of tea to musical accompaniment. 
 
 " I took care not to miss the opportunity, and at 
 ten o'clock I reached the Rue d'Astorg, where I 
 was received in the hall by the young rascal of a 
 valet, who assumed an air of affected dignity. A 
 dozen persons of mixed position were present, from 
 the light Italian tenor, with his faulty French pro- 
 nunciation, to the grave diplomat, and from the 
 giddy young widow to the genuine dowager. It 
 was a kind of demi-monde, in which the tinsel was 
 mixed with the solid, but where also it was easy to 
 see that the solid was promptly on the point of dis- 
 
 259 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 appearing and giving place to fancy of every kind. 
 To obtain this object and precipitate the disaggre- 
 gation of the mixture, all that was needed was the 
 introduction of a fresh element. My entry on the 
 scene brought about the solution. 
 
 " I was twenty-five years of age, free, rich, and 
 very popular in society. I had delightful relations, 
 was luxurious in my tastes, and thus attracted hia. 
 by the external side of my life, which was the one 
 to which her Italian nature was most susceptible. 
 My carriage, with a fine pair of horses harnessed 
 to it, waiting there beneath her window, the hand- 
 some style of my livery, the refinement of my 
 dress and appearance, the sonority of my family 
 name, the genuineness of my title — in short, the at- 
 tention paid to her when we went out together — all 
 this was more pleasing and flattering to her than all 
 the attention and affection I bestowed on her. At 
 first her love for me was one of the intellect alone, 
 but this rapidly changed into a love of the senses. 
 
 " After a few weeks a complete change was effected 
 in her existence. She no longer received any of the 
 persons I had found at her home at the commence- 
 ment ; with incredible facility she had replaced them 
 by friends of mine. Altho possessed of a very 
 good education, she had no idea of social distinctions, 
 and was as ready to receive people of low birth as 
 those of noble origin ; vulgarity of manners did not 
 appear to shock her — in fact, she did not appear to 
 notice them. 
 
 " Often have I found her seated in front of her 
 Italian maid, a stout Lombardy girl, playing cards 
 
 260 
 
TWO YEARS AGO 
 
 with her, both smoking cigarettes. On my re- 
 proaching her she said : 
 
 " ' What does it matter? She is at my disposal 
 both to distract me in a game at b^zique, and to 
 button my boots, to prevent me from bending. She 
 receives her pay ; she does her work. That is suffi- 
 cient. As for the cigarette, everybody smokes in 
 Italy, even court ladies. ' 
 
 " To her lack of respectability she added the most 
 careless ignorance of economy. Never have I seen 
 her preoccupied as to how she should pay for what 
 she bought, or meet the expenses of everyday life. 
 So long as she had any money she spent it, and when 
 the fund was exhausted, she deprived herself. It 
 was strange to see this woman, accustomed to luxury 
 and flinging money about with princely lavishness, 
 in spite of all, having so few needs and contented 
 with so little. I have surprised her, before being 
 initiated into the difficulties of her position, living 
 on the food of her country, which, she pretended, 
 she ate by preference, tho it cost only a few pence 
 per day. 
 
 " Then one fine morning I called on her during the 
 visit of a bailiif provided with a distress and a whole 
 avalanche of stamped papers. I found L6a. in tears 
 before her jewels she loved so well, and which were 
 very costly, now on the point of being given up at 
 the request of her tradesmen, who had become exas- 
 perated by her negligence of and scorn for engage- 
 ments contracted. My first impulse was to open my 
 pocket-book and say to the bailiff: ' How much? ' 
 L6a, in a fury of amorous disinterestedness, pro- 
 
 26 1 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 tested with tears and refused. But the bailiff had 
 seen the opportunity of being paid ; he paid no at- 
 tention to the protests of the debtor, and for the 
 first time L,6a cost me money. 
 
 " Had I not offered it, in all probability she would 
 never have asked me for any. But from the day I 
 had first paid she found it quite natural to continue 
 to profit by my generosity. At this point begins 
 the really deplorable period of my existence. The 
 accusation to which I succumbed was based on the 
 acts of folly I committed to keep up L^a's establish- 
 ment. As a single young fellow I had the where- 
 withal to live and meet all the costly require- 
 ments of a life of pleasure. At that time I had 
 already broken into the inheritance from my father; 
 but the land I had sold brought in no large revenue, 
 and my fortune had not been seriously diminished. 
 I still had an income of forty thousand francs a year. 
 
 " To meet L^a's necessities and my own personal 
 requirements, this would scarcely have been a suffi- 
 cient sum, even if my current expenses had been 
 governed by strict economy. But L^a's disorderly 
 life was in a measure constitutional, like a malady, 
 and I myself was not very foreseeing, the conse- 
 quence being that after a few months I found my- 
 self in the greatest difficulties. Why recall to you 
 the details of this sad time? You know them as well 
 as myself. You, Marenval, have helped me on dif- 
 ferent occasions to pay pressing debts, the failure to 
 settle which would have irretrievably compromised 
 me. You, Christian, have attempted to tear me 
 away from my evil manners and low living. Gam- 
 
 262 
 
TWO YEARS AGO 
 
 bling had become my sole resource, and to sustain 
 my strength, wasted by whole nights spent at the 
 baccarat-table, I began to drink. 
 
 " During these ill-fated years, when I gradually sank 
 into the mire of infamy, all reasoning power had dis- 
 appeared, my very affections had become atrophied. 
 I lived like a beast, and the light of intelligence, 
 still manifest in me, served only to satisfy my vices ; 
 for though Lea had become attached to me from 
 gratitude at my efforts to afford her a rich and happy 
 life, I for my part was beginning to tire of her, and 
 did not remain faithful to her. Doubtless it would 
 have been better to give her up, return again to my 
 mother and sister, and recommence a quiet life. I 
 was so young that this would have been possible, 
 but I persisted in my liaison with a kind of stupid 
 obstinacy, as though by giving up L6a I should be 
 renouncing all the sacrifices I had already made for 
 her. To sum up the whole in one sentence, I was 
 in the position of a gambler bent on winning back 
 the money he has lost. She cost me such a large 
 sum that I could not make up my mind to leave her. 
 Besides, the excited state of mind I often found her 
 in was a cause for apprehension. 
 
 " This haughty, violent woman often relapsed into 
 her life of former times. On these occasions her 
 pride rendered her one to be feared. One day I saw 
 her, when that heavy Lombardy maid of hers, from 
 whom she tolerated such inexplicable acts of famil- 
 iarity, had replied to her in insolent tones, fling 
 herself upon the girl and strike her repeatedly, her 
 own brutality seeming to inflame her the more, until 
 
 263 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 she ran the risk of inflicting some serious injury on 
 the girl. She told me that on such occasions she 
 lost her reason and everything appeared red to her. 
 I could kill, she said, and would not be afraid of any 
 man. So often had she shown her jealousy, so often 
 threatened me with her wrath, if I deceived her, 
 that I was by no means free from anxiety as to what 
 would take place if the proofs of my infidelity 
 were given her. To tell the truth, I did not think 
 she would use violence against me. She loved me 
 too well. Still, I was capable of believing that she 
 might strike herself. 
 
 " ' What would be left for me if I lost you? ' she 
 used to say. ' My life would be ruined. I have left 
 everything to please you. When I met you, I was 
 a society woman. What am I now? My family no 
 longer owns me. I receive no reply to my letters 
 — nothing but the paltry pension allotted to me 
 through the intermediary of a business man. For 
 your sake I have broken with my whole past life ; 
 your future existence must belong to me. ' 
 
 " One evening, when singing for some friends, 
 Vignot, the well-known composer, heard her, and 
 was struck with admiration for her voice and style. 
 He proposed that she should sing at the Opera in 
 the principal role of the new work he had promised 
 the directors. But L6a refused. It had been agreed 
 between herself and her family that she should 
 never sing in a theater. She had made an engage- 
 ment never to appear in public, and with a fidelity 
 to her promise which she boasted about, she refused 
 the splendid opportunities offered to her. It ried to 
 
 264 
 
TWO YEARS AGO 
 
 obtain her acceptance of Vignot's proposal, as I 
 should have been pleased to see her earn her own 
 living. The burden of my debts, continually in- 
 creasing, weighed on me heavier than ever. Perhaps , 
 in the intoxication of success I thought she would 
 have abandoned me. She would have had to receive 
 so much adulation, such enthusiastic admiration, 
 that she would doubtless have left me free to leave 
 her in order to become her own mistress again. 
 
 " But her indolence and will alike refused these 
 proposals, and she remained inactive in a life of dis- 
 order and negligence. She received her compatriots 
 and my friends. I knew she had been obliged to 
 repel the solicitations of certain of them. This 
 did not trouble me, as they would have done me a 
 service by taking her from me. That was one reason 
 why they met with no success. Christian alone of 
 all my friends had never had any sympathy with 
 L6a. He had speedily seen where that liaison would 
 land me, and how fruitful in trouble it would be for 
 me. All he could possibly do to prevent me taking 
 the responsibility of L6a's actions on myself he had 
 attempted, to such an extent as to quarrel with me 
 for a time and with her altogether. 
 
 " Sorfege, on the contrary, never ceased lauding 
 L^a's beauty, charm, and distinction. Had he not 
 been so expansive in my presence one might well 
 have imagined him to be in love. But he did not 
 conceal his feelings sufficiently from me to warrant 
 my suspecting him. He was very attentive to L6a, 
 kept her company whenever I left her alone, and 
 played the role of a perfect confidant. He had been 
 
 265 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 refused by my sister, to whom he had proposed 
 marriage, and at that time called less often on my 
 mother, whom I, besides, saw very seldom. His 
 hostility toward Tragomer, who paid no attention to 
 Lda, showed itself by skilful sarcasm and continual 
 insinuations. 
 
 " It was in the third year of my liaison with hia., 
 and never had my position been so grave as then. 
 A catastrophe was bound to befall me. Had I not 
 been implicated in the tragic adventure which 
 brought about my downfall, I should have been 
 drawn into the most desperate expedients ; a regular 
 current of madness was carrying me away. As a 
 rule, Lda invited none but men. She was convinced 
 that women's society is useless, and, perhaps, dan- 
 gerous. 
 
 " ' If I invite a woman to my home, ' she said, 
 ' and she is ugly and stupid, my friends will receive 
 no pleasure from her society. If she is witty and 
 beautiful, Jacques might fall in love with her, and 
 I should risk losing him. ' 
 
 " For these sage reasons she did not associate with 
 women. She made only one exception after three 
 years' liaison with me, when she considered me as 
 being attached to her by the strongest of bonds. 
 This infringement of her rule was the cause of my 
 misfortune. She had met a very elegant, very 
 pretty young woman — a tolerably good singer — who 
 had pleased her by the grace of her character, as 
 well as by a mysterious and perverse attraction to 
 which I should not have imagined her capable of 
 yielding. L6a had not shown herself to be vicious; 
 
 266 
 
TWO YEARS AGO 
 
 she was deeply in love with me, and had never ap- 
 peared disposed to go to Lesbos. Her new friend 
 undertook to modify her life, and, with the ardor 
 she displayed in everything she undertook, L6a be- 
 came as jealous of Jeanne Baud as she had been of 
 me." 
 
 Up to that point neither Marenval nor Trago- 
 mer had given a sign or uttered a word. They had 
 listened to Jacques in absolute silence, protesting 
 against none of his repetitions — not even trying to 
 abridge any part of his recital — in the hope of seiz- 
 ing on some useful indication, some new item of in- 
 formation. But when the name of Jeanne Baud was 
 pronounced for the first time by Fr^neuse, they ex- 
 changed looks, communicating to one another the 
 impression mutually felt. Light was beginning to 
 break through the darkness in which they had hith- 
 erto been groping. Jeanne Baud's appearance in 
 the existence of Jacques and L^a gave a decisive im- 
 portance to Tragomer's discovery. The bond be- 
 tween Jenny Hawkins and Jacques now showed 
 itself, and the first thread of the toils in which the 
 unhappy man had been entrapped was now discov- 
 ered. Jacques, in surprise, exclaimed: 
 
 " What is there in my tale which astonishes you so 
 much? " 
 
 " The name of Jeanne Baud, which, if we are not 
 mistaken, has just been uttered by you for the first 
 time." 
 
 " I had serious reasons for not speaking of this 
 young woman. You will understand them shortly, 
 when I have related the whole story." 
 
 267 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "But, before resuming, just one detail: Tell us 
 something of this Jeanne Baud. Was she tall or 
 short, blonde or dark-complexioned, with brown or 
 blue eyes? Give us as exact a portrait of her as 
 possible. " 
 
 "When I first made her acquaintance at L^a's 
 home she was a ravishing young woman of twenty- 
 five, of very white skin, with splendid shoulders, 
 dark hair, and gray eyes. She and L^a formed a 
 striking pair — same height, figure, and strength. 
 The only difference was that L6a was as blonde as 
 Jeanne was dark-complexioned. Both were strik- 
 ingly beautiful when together. I believe the extra- 
 ordinary effect they produced had much to do with 
 their intimacy. . . . They were proud of it, and 
 took pleasure in producing this effect on different 
 occasions. " 
 
 "One more question," asked Tragomer. "Was 
 not hia. Pdrelli painted? " 
 
 " Yes. The Titian blonde color of her hair was 
 not natural. I never knew her other than blonde. 
 The natural color must have been dark chestnut. . . 
 She made her hair wavy by artificial means, while 
 Jeanne Baud's hair was naturally wavy." 
 
 "Very good," said Christian; "you may con- 
 tinue." 
 
 Turning toward Marenval, he gave a sigh of sat- 
 isfaction and said: 
 
 "Now, I am certain." 
 
 "I remained," continued Jacques, "a long time 
 without suspecting the secret reasons these two had 
 for not leaving one another. I continually found 
 
 268 
 
TWO YEARS AGO 
 
 Jeanne in L^a's rooms, and whenever the latter 
 went out without me, it was to go to her friend's. 
 
 " The beginning of this intimacy had been the wish 
 expressed by Jeanne Baud that L6a should give her 
 lessons in the pronunciation of Italian. The young 
 singer was anxious to leave operetta and to sing the 
 Italian repertoire. Lda's great talent, her style, and 
 the perfection of her accent were very useful to 
 Jeanne. Accordingly they had begun to study seri- 
 ously. 
 
 " They no longer left one another's society, and 
 I, engrossed in my pleasures and occupations of 
 all kinds, had no suspicions of the evidently pas- 
 sionate nature of the affection these two women 
 showed one another. Sorfege was the first to draw 
 my attention to the condition of things. With his 
 usual prudence, by means of sarcastic insinuations, 
 he aroused my suspicions and forced my eyes open. 
 My loose way of living, it must be said, had quite 
 demoralized me, and both my intelligence and my 
 affections were in a pitiable condition. The idea of 
 Lia being faithless to me inspired in me neither dis- 
 gust nor anger. A morbid desire to obtain Jeanne 
 Baud's love from this time took possession of my 
 thoughts. One day, calling on hia about four o'clock, 
 I found her with her hat on and a business look 
 about her. 
 
 " ' I am obliged to leave for an hour, ' she said. 
 ' My father has entrusted a friend of mine with a 
 commission for me, and I must go to the Grand 
 Hotel to-day to see him, as he is leaving to-morrow 
 for London.' 
 
 26g 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " ' In that case I will leave you. Au revoir, to- 
 night. ' 
 
 " ' No, on the contrary, stay. I have given my 
 servants a holiday. Jeanne is to call shortly. Ask 
 her to wait for me, and we will dine together. ' 
 
 "'Very well.' 
 
 " In a moment the idea of winning over Lea's 
 friend took possession of me. L^a left the house, 
 and I waited patiently for Jeanne. She soon ar- 
 rived, all smiling, dressed in gray silk, and wearing 
 a hat trimmed with blue birds, giving an appear- 
 ance of extraordinary brilliancy to her dark hair and 
 pale complexion. She did not appear astonished at 
 Lea's absence, took off her hat, threw her gloves on 
 the table, and sat down near me. I do not know 
 what I really said to her. So far as I remember, 1 
 spoke to her of her beauty. Her head was reclining 
 against the back of the divan close to mine. After 
 a few minutes I passed my arm around her and drew 
 her close to me without the faintest resistance on 
 her part. 
 
 " From this day I firmly made up my mind to 
 leave L^a. Jeanne was far more gentle and more 
 womanlike than the proud Italian. She acknowl- 
 edged that she had long loved me, and had often 
 felt inclined to tell me so. 
 
 " She developed a passionate affection for me, and 
 I found myself obliged to console her for a treason 
 of which I had been the victim. I could not, how- 
 ever, deceive Lda as to my real sentiments. Every 
 day I detached myself from her a little more, and 
 was determined to risk everything to free myself 
 
 270 
 
TWO YEARS AGO 
 
 from her influence. I needed a considerable sum to 
 pay my debts and to give L6a, when I left her, the 
 means wherewith to live for a year. To have re- 
 course to credit was out of the question. Only one 
 way out of the difficulty remained, the gambling 
 table. 
 
 " I collected all the ready money I had, sold all my 
 jewels and a few valuable trinkets, and spent two 
 nights at play, during which I succeeded in winning 
 a hundred and eighty thousand francs. This was 
 sufficient to completely clear me. I was not satis- 
 fied, however, and after being so well treated by 
 fortune, I determined to threaten her and obtain 
 the utmost she could give me. A third night I 
 went to the bank; before me was all I had won 
 in forty -eight hours. But I must have double that 
 amount to pay the debts which were crushing me 
 and leave a large sum to put into execution the plan 
 I had formed of going abroad. 
 
 " The short time which elapsed between the satis- 
 faction I experienced at seeing myself in possession 
 of a sum sufficient to allow me to clear up my indebt- 
 edness, and to live freely again, and the resolution 
 I took to play double or quits, was the most impor- 
 tant in my life. If at that moment I had had cour- 
 age to withdraw, all these disastrous results might 
 have been avoided. My liaison with Lea would have 
 been broken by force of circumstances. I should 
 have returned home, resumed a quiet familj' life, and 
 been saved. 
 
 "But how could I take such a good resolution? 
 How could conscience appeal to me? My nobler in- 
 
 271 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 stincts seemed completely destroyed. I had nothing 
 left in me but evil inclinations. I had forgotten my 
 poor mother and sister, who were entreating me to 
 return to them. The satisfaction of my whims and 
 the satiating of my most depraved passions were my 
 only law. I was despicable and cowardly. Seeing 
 my poor mother on her knees begging me not to 
 leave her, or bring dishonor on her gray hairs, I 
 turned a deaf ear to her prayers and laughed at her 
 despair. 
 
 " Ah ! How often in my nights of pain and dis- 
 tress, in chains, with my companions in misery and 
 in crime, have I brought back to mind those fright- 
 ful scenes when I had the shameless audacity to meet 
 a mother's tears with scornful and ferocious cyni- 
 cism ! How I regretted the blind obstinacy which 
 abandoned me to the most depraved counsels of my 
 flatterers and parasites, and prevented me from 
 listening to the gentle entreaties of the two angels 
 who tried to save me. But fate had decided. I was 
 singled out for misfortune — justly enough, I must 
 confess. 
 
 " On the third night, as though fate was madly 
 pursuing me and determined to make me pay for 
 the favors with which I had not remained content, I 
 lost all I had won on the two previous nights and 
 forty thoiisand francs in addition, lent me on my 
 signature. 
 
 " Utterly prostrated and in a state of stupefaction 
 I went to hia, who could easily see that I was over- 
 whelmed by a misfortune I looked upon as irrepa- 
 rable. In fact, all I possessed was in the hands of 
 
 272 
 
TWO YEARS AGO 
 
 money-lenders. My mother had paid large sums for 
 me, and my friends, tired of lending me money I 
 did not return, were beginning to shun my society. 
 I had reached the last extremity, and in the crisis I 
 was passing through had the choice of only two 
 courses — to kill myself or to leave the country. 
 
 " Suicide I scarcely thought of, but expatriating 
 myself was in full accord with my plans. For the 
 honor of my name, however, I must pay the debt I 
 had incurred at the gaming-table. Forty thousand 
 francs must be found. I blush for shame, my 
 friends, so disgraceful is the narrative I must now 
 relate. All my misfortunes have been justified by 
 the indelicacy of my conduct, hia. offered me her 
 jewels so that I might pawn them. Had I refused, 
 had I flung myself once more at the feet of my 
 mother, I am certain she would have made further 
 sacrifices to relieve me from my difficulties. But I 
 should have had to give pledges, quit my disgraceful 
 life and return to the quiet of my family. I would 
 not do this. Death or flight, but not honesty of life. 
 
 " I accepted L^a's offer, carried off everything — 
 pearls, sapphires, and diamonds, and this, under- 
 stand me, with the fixed intention of seeing her no 
 more. I obtained eighty thousand francs from a 
 pawnbroker. I sent the pawn ticket to Lea, so 
 that with the money I relied on forwarding her be- 
 fore its expiration, she might redeem the jewels; 
 then I went to pay my debt. I called on Jeanne 
 Baud, who had made all preparations to accompany 
 me to London, and obtained her promise to meet 
 me at Havre the following morning. Then I asked 
 i8 273 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Sorfege to lunch with me, as he was the only one of 
 my friends in whom I had sufficient confidence to 
 reveal all my troubles and my coming departure. 
 
 " He seemed extremely surprised on hearing that 
 I was reduced to such extremities. He blamed me 
 for borrowing money from L,ia, placed his purse at 
 my disposal; but his means were not sufficient to 
 help me materially. In a very friendly way he 
 offered me his services and was willing to inform 
 Lea of my departure. After remarking that it might 
 be dangerous for me to tell L^a for what country I 
 was bound, he accompanied me home, helped me 
 to complete my preparations, and went with me to 
 the station. There, after an affectionate leave-tak- 
 ing, he made me promise to write to him if I needed 
 anything. Then the train steamed away. After 
 that I only saw him at the Assize Court, where he 
 spoke in my favor with considerable moderation and 
 ability. 
 
 "You are well acquainted with the manner in 
 which I was arrested and brought back to Paris, as 
 well as with the denouement of this tragic occur- 
 rence. Now you know all that happened, all I con- 
 cealed from the examining magistrate, the jury, my 
 lawyer, even from my mother. What would have 
 been the use of bringing this poor Jeanne Baud, 
 whose only fault was her love for me, into the scan- 
 dalous intricacies of this trial? I felt grateful to 
 her, and kept her aloof from all this filth and blood. 
 She was to leave for England, where an engagement 
 at the Alhambra, in London, required her presence. 
 Brutally dragged off to prison as I was, and after- 
 
 274 
 
TWO YEARS AGO 
 
 ward flung into the silence and obscurity of that 
 tomb — bagnio as it is called — I do not know what 
 became of her. I hope she is not so unhappy as I 
 have been, for it would not be right or just for all 
 implicated in my ill-fated destiny to be as pitilessly 
 struck down." 
 
 27s 
 
Chapter VII 
 
 THE SECRET SPRINGS OF A DIABOLICAL PLOT 
 
 Jacques stopped. Night was coining on. The 
 whole day had been spent in the unfolding of this 
 terrible story. Tragomer and Marenval had long 
 ceased smoking, carried away as they were by the 
 intense interest of the drama, in which they were 
 now so completely involved, and with the secret 
 springs of which they were better acquainted than 
 the victim himself. A long silence ensued, during 
 which Jacques gradually recovered from the emo- 
 tion which, as he lived over again the various scenes 
 of the past two years, had blanched and furrowed 
 his countenance. Then with his usual sang-froid 
 Tragomer said: 
 
 " My dear Jacques, your frank confession has 
 had the effect of leaving no doubt whatever in our 
 minds. I can guess from Marenval 's evident satis- 
 faction that the truth is now as clear to him as it is 
 to me." 
 
 " Quite ! " interjected Cyprien. " It is as clear as 
 daylight." 
 
 "Still," resumed Christian, "though it is with re- 
 gret, I must inform you of the fate of Jeanne Baud. 
 The poor girl has not met with a destiny so happy 
 
 276 
 
THE SECRET SPRINGS OP A DIABOLICAL PLOT 
 
 as that you have so generously desired for her. At 
 the time you were arrested she was dead." 
 
 "Dead!" exclaimed Jacques, in horror. "How 
 could she be dead?" 
 
 " My dear friend, the evidence is manifest. Since 
 L6a Pirelli is alive, traveling up and down the 
 world under the name of Jenny Hawkins, after as- 
 suming that of Jeanne Baud for a few days, it is 
 because the one she represents is dead. Your pre- 
 tended victim of the Rue Marbeuf could be none 
 other than Jeanne Baud — was most certainly Jeanne 
 Baud." 
 
 "But that is impossible," protested Jacques. 
 
 "It is absolutely certain!" resumed Tragomer. 
 " The identity of the victim had to be established by 
 her presence in L^a's very apartment. What other 
 person, if not L^a, could have been killed in the 
 Rue Marbeuf? Who else could wear her clothes 
 and jewels? Oh! precautions capable of deceiving 
 everybody were skilfully taken. The woman was 
 disfigured, her face was rendered unrecognizable by 
 pistol-shots. Who could help suspecting that the 
 body was that of L6a Perelli? Jeanne Baud was of 
 the same height and figure ; you yourself have just 
 acknowledged it. Then who would suspect a sub- 
 stitution? You did not even think of it, did not en- 
 tertain any doubt whatever. The dead woman is 
 shown to you, and you do not hesitate to recognize 
 her. And yet L^a was alive and Jeanne Baud had 
 disappeared. " 
 
 " But the dead woman was blonde," said Jacques. 
 
 "Jeanne Baud had dark chestnut-colored hair." 
 277 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Did I not ask you," exclaimed Christian, " if L^a 
 dyed her hair? " 
 
 Fr^neuse gave a gesture of horror, his eyes looked 
 hollow beneath his contracted brows. 
 
 "Ah! ah!" continued Tragomer, " you are begin- 
 ning to understand. You dimly divine the atrocious, 
 the ghastly semblance they made the unfortunate 
 victim assume. Those who carried out this bloody 
 intrigue must have been possessed of extraordi- 
 nary sang-froid, for they thought of everything. 
 They dressed and decked out the dead woman and 
 dyed her hair, before firing at her head the shots 
 destined to disfigure her. Certainly they were bent 
 on ruining you, but they were also determined to 
 save themselves. The real assassins are those who 
 have accomplished this profane deed and dishonored 
 murder itself, by thus disfiguring death. Resist the 
 evidence no longer, for now everything is certain. 
 Were not the jewels redeemed the very morning 
 after the murder? You could not have done this, as 
 you had not the necessary sum, and had, besides, 
 given up the pledges to L^a. You were accused of 
 having sold them, because an explanation of the re- 
 demption was to be found, and justice wishes every- 
 thing to be explained. But it is certain that it was 
 L6a who received back her jewels before leaving. 
 Everything was arranged in such a way as to make 
 of you a thief and an assassin. The effect sought for 
 was obtained. It was in vain that you resisted, and 
 showed the forty thousand francs remaining, after 
 paying your debt of honor. It was of no avail to 
 pretend that, since you had left Paris, you could 
 
 278 
 
THE SECRET SPRINGS OF A DIABOLICAL PLOT 
 
 not possibly have redeemed the jewels. The only 
 answer vouchsafed to you was : ' You have sold the 
 pledges.' As it was impossible to prove the con- 
 trary, your ruin was complete. For then every- 
 thing led to the crime. You had killed L^a to take 
 back from her the pledges. Theft and assassination 
 were logical sequences of such an act. And that 
 was the very thing wanted for a safeguard to society 
 and the triumph of truth! " 
 
 Jacques, with sorrowful mien and bowed head, 
 was no longer listening. He was lost in reverie. 
 Tragomer had convinced him. The secret springs 
 of the plot were now evident to him. But they had 
 been so skilfully set that, as he saw them, so to 
 speak, working under his very eyes, he wondered 
 what he could have done to escape them, and 
 whether, even now, he would succeed in bringing to 
 justice the real culprits. At this thought, he sud- 
 denly raised his head and, with reddened cheeks and 
 sparkling eyes, exclaimed : 
 
 " Who has committed such a terrible crime? You, 
 Tragomer, who are so well acquainted with all the 
 circumstances of the murder, can you name the as- 
 sassins? " 
 
 "Ah! my dear friend, we are now entering the 
 region of hypotheses. What Marenval and myself, 
 after our first inquiries, were certain of, was your 
 innocence. Much less certain were the means of 
 establishing it. We had to deal with those who 
 were so strong that simply to arouse their suspicions 
 would have sufficed to make all investigation impos- 
 sible. L6a Pirelli, under Sorege's warning, would 
 
 279 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 have disappeared, and no one would have known in 
 what part of the world to look for her. To sum up, 
 at present, we have nothing but appearances of 
 guilt. But these appearances are terrible, weighing 
 alike on L6a and on Sor^ge ; but then what are the 
 motives under which they acted? Powerful as are 
 the moral presumptions capable of being formed from 
 your story, and from the knowledge we now pos- 
 sess of the relations existing at the time between 
 Jeanne Baud and yourself, after all they are nothing 
 but presumptions. I suspected some such mystery 
 as the one you have just revealed to us. Still, we 
 must have formal proofs, and, with your help, we 
 will seek them. That is why it was necessary to 
 rescue you. Had we waited till your innocence had 
 been proved, our whole lives might have been spent 
 in a probably fruitless search. We preferred to be- 
 gin at the very outset, and to open the gates of your 
 prison. Now you are free to act. The first part 
 of the drama is ending, the second about to com- 
 mence." 
 
 As Jacques remained dreamily meditating on the 
 frightful problem now before them, Marenval said: 
 
 "The most exciting part of this affair, my dear 
 friend, is that it is a regular challenge to ordinary 
 common sense. To reach a denouement appeared so 
 perfectly impossible, that, before leaving France, 
 we consulted one of our most eminent magistrates. 
 Indeed, I may as well name him ; it was Pierre de 
 Vesin. His curiosity was only equaled by his as- 
 tonishment. Still, he had not the shadow of a doubt 
 that we were courting failure. It was the struggle 
 
 280 
 
THE SECRET SPRINGS OF A DIABOLICAL PLOT 
 
 of the earthen pot against the iron pan. What can 
 one do against that formidable power called jus- 
 tice? It is shielded by its codes, defended by all its 
 legal auxiliaries, and finally rendered invulnerable 
 by a social necessity which demands that its decrees 
 should be infallible. And dare we undertake a war 
 against a Bastile more impregnable than the first, for 
 it contains the very palladium of order, and protects 
 the sovereign majesty of the State's claim? Very 
 well. Yes ! We will test our fortune. It is extrav- 
 agant, incomprehensible! Tragomer and I have 
 already risked the galleys to rescue you from captiv- 
 ity, by our resistance of the police, and our conduct 
 as regular buccaneers. But all this is absolutely 
 nothing to us! Our minds are made up. Never 
 has the proverb ' The end justifies the means ' had 
 a more rigorous application than in this matter. 
 We will succeed at whatever cost. And when we 
 have furnished full proof that you were a victim and 
 not a culprit, that you have been sentenced as the 
 result of a monstrous legal error, well ! we will see 
 whether there are, in our land of daring and generos- 
 ity, gendarmes to arrest, and judges to punish us. 
 For my part, I have not the slightest remorse or un- 
 easiness, or even hesitation. And I am delighted 
 with my voyage ! " 
 
 Cyprien's simple good-humor had smoothed down 
 the contracted features of his friends. The contrast 
 between the extraordinary gravity of the deeds com- 
 mitted and the habitual placidity of him who com- 
 mitted them gave his declaration a pungent savor 
 of dilettanteism. On this occasion Marenval showed 
 
 281 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 himself sublime in his heedlessness. He trampled 
 laws under foot, and set the public powers at defi- 
 ance with a quiet serenity of soul only equaled by 
 that of a hero or a bandit. And yet his frank, open 
 countenance, his healthy cheeks, shut in by grayish 
 whiskers, and his kind eyes sparkling with pleasure, 
 gave one the impression that he was neither a hero 
 nor a bandit. He looked like a rich " bourgeois, " 
 traveling for his own pleasure. In fact, under the 
 canvas awning, in the fresh evening breeze, lulled 
 by the rhythm of the waves splashing against the 
 ship's sides, with the slanting rays of the setting sun 
 shining on them, the three friends, seated in their 
 rocking-chairs on the deck of this pretty yacht, 
 heading for the Dutch colonies, seemed more in- 
 tent on enjoying life than hunting for a tragic secret. 
 
 28s 
 
Chapter VIII 
 PLANS OF FUTURE ACTION 
 
 " Still, " resumed Jacques, " if I have related what 
 you did not know of my adventure, tell me that part 
 of your researches of which I am ignorant. Trago- 
 mer gave me no precise explanation when he came 
 for me to Nou. I should like to know under what 
 conditions we shall have to resist our adversaries ; 
 what Sorfege is doing ; and where L6a is. " 
 
 "My dear friend," said Christian, "you surely 
 know that when I saw you in that hut I had some- 
 thing else to do besides telling you stories. The 
 first thing was to bring you away, and you seemed 
 by no means to have made up your mind to follow 
 me. Now we have two months before us to dis- 
 cuss and form our plans. We shall not waste our 
 time. What we were in the greatest dread of was 
 your escape, which, if announced in the papers, 
 would have put the real culprits on their guard. 
 But on this point of vital interest the administra- 
 tion of the penitentiary itself took care to reassure 
 us. The escapes are systematically kept from the 
 knowledge of the public. A telegram will be sent 
 to France, the Minister will know all, but will say 
 nothing. When the governor's secretary informed 
 me that they trusted principally to the sharks and 
 
 283 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 the natives when a convict escaped, I could have 
 embraced him. Now, however, we are free from 
 all risk. We will surprise Sorbge in the way that will 
 be to our best advantage. What is most important 
 for you to know now is that Jenny Hawkins will re- 
 turn to Europe next spring, and will sing in London 
 for the first time since she has changed her name. 
 She imagines herself quite safe on account of her 
 transformation, and ready to brave the looks of 
 those who knew her formerly, and it is certain that, 
 altho I, for my part, hesitated when I saw her 
 appear with dark hair, not a single one of those who 
 have simply met her, or known her very slightly, 
 will discover her former personality under the new. 
 The keenest will only say : ' Jenny Hawkins resem- 
 bles poor L^a Pirelli.' Nothing more. She runs 
 no risk. As for Sorfege, he has very skilfully ar- 
 ranged to spend the season with his prospective 
 father-in-law and his fiancee in the Isle of Wight 
 and in London. Honest Julius Harvey has no sus- 
 picion that he is himself to take Sorbge to Jenny 
 Hawkins. We shall therefore break in upon the 
 combinations of your enemies, who will not have 
 been able to form their plans, and will be obliged 
 to defend themselves, on a foreign ground, hindered 
 by all kinds of social obstacles. Nothing less will 
 be needed to make the game even, and to give us a 
 chance of victory." 
 
 " Then Sorfege is about to marry? " said Jacques 
 dreamily, "and she is an American; very rich, 
 doubtless? " 
 
 " Excessively wealthy. Her father is the king of 
 284 
 
PLANS OF FUTURE ACTION 
 
 the prairie. He is a kind of arch-millionaire shep- 
 herd, a Laban, to whom Sorfege wishes to play the 
 part of a Jacob. He went with him last year to the 
 Far West to inspect his stock. It was during this 
 journey that I discovered his complicity with L6a 
 Pirelli." 
 
 " And what kind of lady is his fiancee? " 
 
 " Ah, you are interested in the matter? Well, you 
 will see her. She is a little American, eccentric and 
 impetuous, who will require some managiiiig. I 
 would not swear that she is without Indian blood in 
 her veins. If ever she hears of Sorbge's villainy I 
 should pity the man, for she would morally scalp 
 him in her rage. " 
 
 " And you think that neither hia. nor Sorfege sus- 
 pects the possibility of my reappearance? " 
 
 " How should they? They must look upon you as 
 quite as much buried as is the murdered woman. I 
 have no doubt that Sorfege was uneasy at hearing me 
 make inquiries about L^a's existence, and the rela- 
 tions he kept up with her. His attitude and words 
 — everything, in fact — proves that he guessed me 
 to be already partly in possession of the truth. But 
 between that part and the whole there exist such 
 gaps that he is quite convinced I shall never succeed 
 in finding the key to the enigma. And he is right 
 since, even after this bold attempt of ours we are 
 still at the mercy of events and individuals, and 
 shortly you will have to appear yourself to confound 
 and stagger him, and show up his accomplice. " 
 
 "I shall succeed in this, rest assured," said 
 Jacques firmly. "You shall not find that all you 
 
 285 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 have done for me has been in vain. I have entered 
 on the same path as yourselves, and I shall continue 
 in it to its utmost limit. If Sorfege, as you assure 
 me, and as I am beginning to believe, has played 
 such an abominable part in my terrible experience, 
 I tell you that he shall be punished for it, as he de- 
 serves to be. As for L6a " 
 
 He passed his hands over his face, which had sud- 
 denly become overshadowed. 
 
 " I can not tell what motives could have impelled 
 her to seek my ruin with such malevolence. I have 
 done her great wrong, but however guilty I have 
 been, she has taken too terrible a revenge. Had 
 she exacted my life that would perhaps have been 
 excusable. But to crush me beneath such a load of 
 imfamy, dishonor my family, and inflict on us all a 
 grief and sorrow the end of which could only have 
 been in death, is the deed of a mind so depraved that 
 I consider myself henceforth as free to act without 
 the slightest consideration for her. I do not think 
 I shall go beyond my right if I defend myself as I 
 have been attacked — to the death. You may there- 
 fore rely on me, my friends, as I do on you. For 
 your justification and my rehabilitation, we must 
 succeed. In the struggle now beginning, I have 
 only my life to risk. In this there is little merit, 
 for it is of no considerable worth now. Still, I es- 
 teem it as highly as I do Sorfege's life. But we have 
 two months before us in which to form our plans, as 
 Christian said a moment ago. We will talk no more 
 now, and you will permit me to become more accus- 
 tomed to my new life of liberty. I need both a 
 
 286 
 
PLANS OF FUTURE ACTION 
 
 moral and physical recovery, for I intend to be 
 equal to whatever is expected of me." 
 
 It was growing dark out on the deck. The tropi- 
 cal night had suddenly fallen, and the furrow left 
 by the wake of the ship was lit up with a phospho- 
 rescent gleam. 
 
 Through the darkness, in which the forms of the 
 three friends could be dimly distinguished, Maren- 
 val's voice was heard saying: 
 
 "It is now Feburary 15th. At this moment in 
 Paris it is probably icy cold, and the people outside 
 are wading through snow. Here we are enjoying a 
 summer temperature. When we reach the Mediter- 
 ranean, the month of April will have brought back 
 the sun. We will coast along the shore for a few 
 days, so that our presence there may become known, 
 then we will round Gibraltar and head swiftly for 
 England. It is then that we shall have to enter the 
 field of action. Meanwhile, we will have a pleasant 
 time together. We have ' A cloudless sky and a 
 placid sea,' as the song goes. As we reach port, 
 we will send a telegram to my servant with orders 
 to take it to Madame de Fr^neuse. Once reassured 
 as to the fate of her son, everything will be well." 
 
 " Dinner is served," said the steward, mounting to 
 the deck. 
 
 " Very well, come along. " 
 
 And with Jacques in the middle leaning on his 
 friends' arms, they directed their steps toward the 
 dining-room. 
 
 287 
 
PART III 
 
 19 
 
 289 
 
Chapter I 
 
 EST LONDON 
 
 As Miss Jenny Hawkins was returning, about ten 
 o'clock in the morning, her arms laden with flowers 
 she had just bought at Covent Garden Market, her 
 maid-servant opened the door of her room and said : 
 
 " If you please, madame, a gentleman has called. 
 He is waiting in the salon." 
 
 " Who is it? " 
 
 " Here is the card the gentleman requested me to 
 hand you on your return." 
 
 Jenny Hawkins took the card and read : " Comte 
 Jean de Sorfege." Without taking time to remove 
 her hat and cape she handed the flowers to her maid, 
 opened the door of the salon, and entered. Seated 
 near the window in the little room furnished with 
 massive English upholstery, Sorfege was looking out 
 into the street. He turned quickly round, and the 
 young actress approached him, fresh and smiling 
 after her morning walk : 
 
 "Your last night's triumph," he said, "has not 
 tired you, it appears, as you are up so early." 
 
 He held out his hand. She did not appear to 
 notice the movement, and, drawing near a mirror, 
 removed her hat and arranged her hair, as she said : 
 
 29 1 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "Then, you were at the performance? Every- 
 thing passed off well. . . . Rovelli came in for a 
 great deal of applause. . . . And so did I. " 
 
 Returning to him, she took a seat on a low chair 
 near the fireplace. 
 
 " Yes. I was at the theater," he said; " and I was 
 not the only one watching you. In the audience 
 were others equally interested in you." 
 
 " Your fiancee, doubtless, and the excellent Julius 
 Harvey? " said Jenny in ironical tones, and with a 
 keen glance of her bright eyes. 
 
 " Yes, indeed. Miss Harvey and her father were 
 among your most enthusiastic admirers," said So- 
 rhge. " As a compatriot they owe you their trib- 
 ute of praise. But I was not alluding to them — 
 rather to two of your former acquaintances — Chris- 
 tian de Tragomer and old Marenval." 
 
 The features of the prima donna contracted. Her 
 eyelids drooped, and her lips quivered. She said: 
 
 "Yes? They have just arrived, I suppose?" 
 
 " They came yesterday morning. I have come to 
 put you on your guard against any surprise, in case 
 you suddenly find yourself in their presence." 
 
 She made a gesture of weariness, as she said : 
 
 " I thought I might rely on more complete secur- 
 ity. Oh, this burden of anxiety and care ever fall- 
 ing over me just when I imagine I have flung it aside 
 forever ! " 
 
 " It depends on yourself to assure your future ca- 
 reer against any troublesome search," said Sorfege 
 placidly. " You have only to keep up your charac- 
 ter and personality. Do at London as you did at 
 
 292 
 
IN LONDON 
 
 San Francisco, and you will be free from danger. 
 What fear can you have of Tragomer here, where you 
 are known by all your companions — your director, 
 the public, the Americans who have been applauding 
 you for two years, and who would all affirm, if need 
 be, that you are really Miss Jenny Hawkins? There 
 is only one being in the world who would not allow 
 himself to be deceived by your metamorphosis, and 
 in whose presence you would not be free from dan- 
 ger. But he will never appear again. We have 
 buried him alive in a vault as safe as the one in which 
 he would have been put had he died. Be calm, 
 then ; but summon up courage, as I know you can, 
 when necessary. You are a thorough woman, L^a 
 — capable of the highest generosity as well as of the 
 basest infamy. I have guessed what you were, and 
 that is why I loved you so passionately." 
 
 "No, Jean," said L,ia. sorrowfully. "The reason 
 you loved me is that I loved Jacques, and you hated 
 him. You say you know me. I, too, know you; 
 and your soul is a black one. Oh ! you are clever ; 
 you know how to conceal your real feelings. I have 
 long been your dupe. You made me believe in your 
 devotion and tenderness. But, finally, I saw clear 
 into your mind, tho you so ingeniously concealed 
 everything from me ; and there I discovered treach- 
 ery, jealousy, and cruelty. In sooth, Jacques has been 
 unworthy, treacherous, and cowardly! But what of 
 yourself, who have made use of these faults in his 
 character to egg me on to ruin him? Who knows, 
 too, whether you have not once more taken advan- 
 tage of my credulity, and whether the unhappy fel- 
 
 293 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 low was as guilty as you proved to me? I have 
 no confidence in you, Sorfege, now; for I have seen 
 you at work, and I know what you are capable of." 
 
 Sorfege's eyes, which had been lowered as usual, 
 now darted a clear glance at the young woman, and 
 the expression of crafty gentleness on his face sud- 
 denly disappeared. He stood up savagely, with 
 decided mien, and in threatening tones said: 
 
 " What is that you are saying? You are in doubt, 
 are you — perhaps remorse? Are you losing your 
 senses? Do you forget under what conditions I in- 
 tervened at a time when you were almost mad with 
 terror? My dear L6a, you are not becoming un- 
 grateful, are you? That would be very weak and 
 foolish on your part. We can only escape from our 
 embarrassment — for, do not forget, it will only be 
 an embarrassment, not a danger — by remaining 
 firmly united. The devil! I looked upon you as 
 more courageous than that! Are you capable of 
 letting go your hold, like a Frenchwoman, instead 
 of holding on like a true Italian, as you are? And, 
 yet, they know how to hate in your country; they 
 know how to avenge themselves. It is blood, not 
 water, that flows through their veins. Have you 
 forgotten what Jacques had dared to do, and what 
 the other actually did also? " 
 
 " No ! I have not forgotten. Had I not had the 
 memory of what I have suffered to sustain me I 
 could not have lived. And, yet, I have spent ter- 
 rible nights with the frightful picture of the dead 
 woman before my eyes." 
 
 She had lowered her voice, and yet Sorfege cast 
 294 
 
IN LONDON 
 
 a rapid glance around as tho he wished to make 
 certain that no one had heard. With a cat-like 
 movement he went to the door, opened it noiselessly, 
 looked into the next room, assured himself that it 
 was unoccupied, and returned with the same supple, 
 quiet step to the young woman : 
 
 " You must not be foolish, " he said in gentle tones. 
 " Come, my little L^a, you are not going to lose your 
 head, are you? I am here to defend you, if neces- 
 sary. If Tragomer torments you, I will undertake 
 to bring him to his senses. Come here; think of 
 nothing but your success, and look a little more 
 cheerful. We do not see each other so often. . . . 
 And you know how I love you. " 
 
 Taking hold of her arm and approaching his lips, 
 he passionately kissed her supple wrist and well- 
 shaped arm. She roughly thrust him away. 
 
 " Come ! No hypocrisy ! Are you forgetting that 
 you are to be married in a few weeks? " 
 
 He burst into a laugh. 
 
 " What does that prove? Surely you do not think, 
 because I am marrying that banknote plant named 
 Miss Harvey, that I do not love you? I am transact- 
 ing a matter of business, my love. Surely you see 
 that? When I am married, and very wealthy, you 
 will readily forget the marriage in sharing the 
 wealth." 
 
 Jenny Hawkins sat silent a moment; then, with 
 serious and determined air, she said : 
 
 "Listen, Sorfege; the time has come for mutual 
 and frank explanations. We know too well what 
 we are, both of us, to try to deceive ourselves use- 
 
 295 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 lessly. You love me, true; but what a sad and 
 shameful love! I submitted to you, for you held 
 me under a thrall of death. You have been bru- 
 tally fierce. Do you remember the first night spent 
 in Boulogne when I escaped to England under the 
 name of Jeanne Baud? You threatened and terrified 
 me that night in a way that could never be told. 
 Had I not yielded to your passion, you would have 
 been capable, in your fury, of denouncing me before 
 I should have had time to take the boat. Am I 
 speaking the truth? " 
 
 He replied, impassive, with closed eyes and a cold 
 smile on his face. 
 
 " In part, but you exaggerate. It is not absolutely 
 indispensable for me to hear cries of pain uttered by 
 a beautiful mouth to take pleasure in kissing it. 
 Still, my dear L6a, just notice how lacking in finesse 
 your reasoning is, when, after manifesting your in- 
 tention to refuse me everything, you show me that 
 you have understood what a degree of diabolical 
 energy I am capable of reaching. Come, establish 
 a little order in your ideas. If I am so dreadful as 
 you have just said it is very wrong of you to defy 
 me, for then you must be certain beforehand that I 
 will either compel or ruin you." 
 
 This time they looked at each other boldly, like 
 adversaries measuring their respective strength. 
 But L6a was the first to lower her eyes, and whether 
 from calculation or real submission, she said : 
 
 " Do not threaten me. You know I will endure 
 anything rather than that. It was your brutality 
 from the very first which set me against you. I do 
 
 296 
 
IN LONDON 
 
 not ignore the services that you have rendered me, 
 but- you ought not to recall them to my mind in this 
 harsh manner. If you were determined to make me 
 resist you, you would not act otherwise, unless it is 
 a return of your former ferocity which makes you 
 caress me, as tigers do, with their claws." 
 
 She was now smiling, but the smile was trembling 
 on her lips. Had Sorfege raised his lowered eyelids, 
 he would not have been pleased with Lda's look. 
 But perhaps he saw it all the same, for he had 
 strange faculties. He said : 
 
 "Very well, my dear. You are becoming more 
 calm. I came this morning merely to speak to you 
 of the persons it is possible you may have dealings 
 with. I will call again to-night. Tavistock Street 
 is well chosen ; it is central, and yet not too noisy. 
 You have shown your usual tact in your choice of 
 such a quiet house." 
 
 Rising, he took up his hat, as tho about to with- 
 draw. But, with him, the last moment was always 
 the most important, and the last sentence the weighti- 
 est of all. 
 
 " Ah ! I was forgetting to tell you the chief reason 
 I had come to see you. Mr. Julius Harvey has in- 
 vited a few friends to dinner the day after to-mor- 
 row. He would like you to come and sing during 
 the evening." 
 
 Jenny Hawkins turned pale, and asked, in trem- 
 bling tones : 
 
 " What friends are these? What is this snare you 
 are setting for me? What terrible trial am I yet to 
 go through? " 
 
 297 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 He replied quietly : 
 
 " The decisive trial. After that, you will be mis- 
 tress of your destiny ; you will no longer have any- 
 thing to fear. You may even do without me, if you 
 like. For you will have proved to Tragomer and 
 Marenval that you are Jenny Hawkins, and, for 
 them, will never be any other than Jenny Hawkins. 
 Is the risk not worth taking? Do not flinch ; I will 
 show you that I, at any rate, am the man you take 
 me for. Will you come? I must give a reply to my 
 father-in-law, and especially to my fiancee, who is 
 burning with impatience to know you. She pre- 
 tends, in her enthusiasm, that you are positively 'out 
 of sight! ' Dazzle her more than she anticipates, 
 L6a; it will only be justice." 
 
 He laughed. She was stupefied at his boldness, 
 but became at once more confident. 
 
 "Very well; I will come." 
 
 " Good ! I will go at once and order the bracelet 
 that Mr. Harvey will offer you. Altho a cowboy, he 
 does things in style, and will think nothing of spend- 
 ing $2,500 in ornamenting with diamonds and pearls 
 the arm of Miss Jenny Hawkins for singing three 
 short pieces before a small company of forty persons. 
 Au re voir this evening." 
 
 Drawing her to him, he kissed her on the brow 
 and silently glided out of the room. The prima 
 donna composed her features, and sank down into 
 an arm-chair, tired and sad. 
 
 " What a punishment ! Have I not already paid 
 only too dearly for my safety, at the cost of such 
 slavery as this? " 
 
 298 
 
IN LONDON 
 
 She leaned her head on her hand, and sank into a 
 gloomy reverie. Her maid-servant, on coming to 
 inform her mistress that lunch was ready, found her 
 still in the same position, eyes fixed and lips set, re- 
 calling to mind all the sad memories of the past. 
 
 299 
 
Chapter II 
 
 MOTHER AND SON MEET IN LONDON 
 
 At the same hour, near London Bridge, two ladies, 
 dressed in mourning and closely veiled, alighted 
 from a hansom and looked around them, not without 
 a certain feeling of uneasiness. The wharves of the 
 Thames teemed with noisy activity; dock-laborers 
 were engaged everywhere in unloading the steamers 
 along the wharves. The stream flowed along be- 
 tween the black-keeled ships, and a never-ending line 
 of cabs and omnibuses stretched along the Bridge. 
 From the river edge appeared the Tower, somber 
 and mysterious, and the entrance of St. Katherine's 
 Docks, with its piles of merchandise, was visible. 
 
 Moored near the dock, a yacht, quite dwarfed by 
 the immense ships all round, flew its three-colored 
 emblem among the merchant flags of England. 
 The elder of the two ladies, pointing out the small 
 coquettish boat to her companion, said : 
 
 " There is the Magic. . . . We will go down to the 
 dock." 
 
 Descending a flight of stone steps they reached 
 the bank and made their way amid crowds of work- 
 men, brokers, sailors, and beggars to the foot-bridge 
 that led on to the yacht. Oh their approach a tall, 
 
 300 
 
MOTHER AND SON MEET IN LONDON 
 
 dark-complexioned young man appeared at the 
 gangway and advanced to meet them. 
 
 " Here is Monsieur de Tragomer, " said the younger 
 of the two ladies, hastily raising her veil, to obtain a 
 better view. 
 
 The face of Mademoiselle de Fr^neuse, free from 
 the veil which had concealed it, now appeared. 
 She hurried along her mother, who was trembling 
 with emotion, and helped her to ascend the steps 
 that led on to the deck. 
 
 "Welcome, ladies," said Christian, raising his hat; 
 "your arrival is being eagerly awaited here." 
 
 Marie raised her eyes, as tho to make sure that 
 these words did not mean more than they seemed 
 to do. She saw the young man's handsome face, 
 bronzed by a tropical sun and the open sea breezes, 
 smiling at her, radiant and triumphant. 
 
 " Is he there? " she asked. 
 
 " Yes. In the saloon. " 
 
 She was in front of the stairs, and held out her 
 hand to him. He could not have said whether it 
 was so that he might grasp it, or that he might help 
 her to alight. But for the first time in many, many 
 months Christian had the happiness of touching that 
 hand, which, now offered to him, had once repulsed 
 him so brusquely. 
 
 "Come, mother," said the young girl, as she led 
 the way for Madame de Frdneuse. 
 
 They descended between decks, in an almost semi- 
 obscurity. A door opened, a stifled cry was heard, 
 and there, before them, just as they had seen him 
 when he was happy, handsome, and young, they saw 
 
 301 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Jacques holding his arms out to them. Madame de 
 Fr^neuse, pale as death, stood there for a moment, 
 motionless, devouring with her eyes this son whom 
 she had imagined she would never see again ; then, 
 bursting into sobs, she buried her face in her hands, 
 as tho afraid this delightful vision would vanish 
 from her sight. She felt herself carried, rather than 
 led, to an armchair, and, on reopening her eyes, she 
 saw her son kneeling before her, looking up at her 
 through his tears. 
 
 " Oh! my dear child, it is really you! " stammered 
 the poor woman. " Is it possible? God has per- 
 formed a miracle for us." 
 
 "Yes, my dear mother," said Jacques, gravely, 
 " but these faithful friends of mine have put it into 
 execution. We owe them a great deal, for it is not 
 only my life they have saved, but also the honor of 
 our name. " 
 
 " How shall we pay the debt? " 
 
 " Oh ! we need not speak of that so soon. Grati- 
 tude is sweet when addressed to a delicate and sen- 
 sitive soul. If one wishes to pay such a debt one 
 deprives oneself of a great joy. But reassure your- 
 self, our debt, at any rate toward one of our friends, 
 is of such a nature as can easily be paid." 
 
 Mademoiselle de Fr^neuse blushed deeply at these 
 words. Nevertheless, she did not turn aside her 
 eyes, and Tragomer's heart was gladdened at seeing 
 a smile play on her lips. She seemed never to 
 tire of fondling and embracing Jacques. Marenval, 
 leaning against the bulkhead, stood looking on at 
 this affecting scene without attempting to restrain 
 
 302 
 
MOTHER AND SON MEET IN LONDON 
 
 his emotion. For two months he had been looking 
 forward to this moment, when he could bring the 
 son to his mother's arms, and thought of what a 
 delicious joy it would be to him. He had often said 
 to Tragomer: "It will be an extraordinary scene!" 
 Afterward he was obliged to confess that he was 
 more deeply moved than he had expected, and that 
 he, Marenval, a skeptical Parisian and blase, had 
 wept like a child. Leaning over toward Christian, 
 he whispered in his ear: 
 
 " Let us leave them together. We will return 
 shortly. My eyes are smarting, and I should be 
 glad to go on deck a while. " 
 
 They left the room without the two ladies, preoc- 
 cupied in their happiness, noticing their withdrawal. 
 They were too deeply engaged in indemnifying them- 
 selves for all the love and tenderness of which they 
 had been deprived during the two years past. 
 
 "You are sure, my dear child, that you run no 
 danger here? " 
 
 " No, my dear mother, on condition I do not show 
 myself. Had my enemies any suspicion of my pres- 
 ence they might denounce me. But this state of 
 things will not last long. In a few days we shall no 
 longer have any precautions to take in seeing one 
 another." 
 
 " How pale and thin you are ! " 
 
 " Oh ! I have changed considerably to my advan- 
 tage the last two months. Now my mustache and 
 hair have grown, and I am not too unlike myself. 
 If you had seen me when I escaped, you would have 
 pitied me far more. " 
 
 303 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Have you suffered greatly? " 
 
 "Yes, mother, but not for nothing. Imprisoned 
 in that tomb, with almost a certainty of never 
 leaving it, I retired within myself, examined my 
 past life, and judged it severely. I have been 
 brought to think that I was paying, harshly perhaps, 
 but still justly, for the mistakes I had made. A su- 
 preme favor of fate had placed near me a lovable 
 priest, the chaplain of the penitentiary, who inter- 
 ested himself in my unhappy lot, on seeing me so 
 different from my companions in trouble. He made 
 it his task to reform me. From being savage and 
 untractable, he made me calm and resigned. He 
 kindled in my soul the belief of my innocent child- 
 hood, showed me that Heaven was a supreme refuge, 
 and that in prayer was to be found a lasting consola- 
 tion. For long, weary days, occupied solely by rough 
 and tedious work, during interminable nights of 
 burning fever, had I not had the thought of God 
 to calm and soothe my spirit, I should either have 
 killed myself or gone mad. On arriving I had de- 
 termined on suicide. I had just spent sixty-five 
 days locked in a cage with the scum of the human 
 race, hearing nothing but infamous execrations, 
 obscene songs, and projects of revenge ; all this be- 
 neath the mouth of a cannon loaded with grapeshot. 
 Life seemed to me impossible, and I had made up 
 my mind to escape from it by death. " 
 
 " Unhappy child! " groaned Madame de Fr^neuse, 
 laying her trembling hands on her son's head. " A 
 suicide ! " 
 
 "Oh! no, mother; it was all in vain. From the 
 304 
 
MOTHER AND SON MEET IN LONDON 
 
 very first day my companions conceived a hatred 
 toward me. They looked upon me as a bourgeois, 
 an aristocrat. For even among those abject and 
 depraved men there is a hierarchy, and it is the 
 basest and most infamous who are the most re- 
 spected. Seeing me so different from themselves, 
 they were convinced that I was a spy — a ' black 
 sheep, ' as they said in their slang — and one day when 
 for a few moments the attendant had left the shed 
 where we were toiling in the full glare of the tropi- 
 cal sun, five of them threw themselves upon me. 
 Their plan was simple enough. We were dragging 
 a heavy cast-iron roller over the road, to crush the 
 stones with which it had just been paved. Their 
 crime was to be a simple accident. It was to be 
 supposed that I had slipped ; the roller, drawn along 
 by the rest, could not be brought to a sudden stop- 
 page, and I was to be crushed to death beneath it. " 
 
 "The monsters!" 
 
 " Yes, mother. That was what I thought when I 
 saw myself seized and flung to the ground, and heard 
 them encourage one another, with frightful shrieks 
 of laughter, to crush me beneath this ponderous 
 machine. I had only to let them alone, my prayers 
 would have been heard, and I should have been rid of 
 my miserable life. But a feeling of revolt against the 
 atrocity of these men, an instinct of self-preservation 
 came over me in a moment, and instead of submit- 
 ting to this fearful fate, I vigorously defended my- 
 self. I was still strong despite the privations I had 
 endured, and in a trice I had felled two of my as- 
 sailants. The rest, astonished at my resistance, 
 20 305 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 again flung themselves on me. I struck down an- 
 other of them with a blow of my chain. On hearing 
 the scuffle, the attendant came running back. A 
 single glance told him what had happened, he placed 
 his hand to his revolver, and soon order was re- 
 stored. The director was informed of the matter, 
 and the following day I was removed from the 
 frightful surroundings in which I had been liv- 
 ing, and placed in the offices of the penitentiary. 
 There, tho I had no greater liberty, I could at 
 least suffer alone without being made a laughing- 
 stock, and could pray without being insulted. It 
 was then that my ideas gradually changed, and that, 
 in the silence of my seclusion, I became another 
 man. All I had passionately loved and sought after ; 
 pleasure, luxury, human vanity, now seemed to me 
 utterly worthless. I, whose only thought had been 
 to speed the flying hours in pleasure, now began 
 to reflect seriously. All the pernicious futility of 
 my past existence became apparent to me. There 
 were other things to do in this world, besides 
 engaging in a hunt for distraction. Other men 
 suffered for lack of daily food, and passed their 
 lives in toiling for a paltry pittance, and their 
 workshops, sheds, and mines were also bagnios. 
 These, however, had not deserved such an unhappy 
 lot. Even a small proportion of the money I 
 formerly squandered away so foolishly would have 
 enabled me to lessen their poverty, lighten their 
 burden of toil, and give them some measure of 
 happiness. I determined, if ever I left my prison, 
 to devote the remainder of my life to the poor and 
 
 306 
 
MOTHER AND SON MEET IN LONDON 
 
 lowly, in memory of what I had suffered myself. 
 I imparted my thoughts to that most devoted priest 
 who had voluntarily come to live among these crimi- 
 nals in the hope of converting and saving them. 
 He encouraged me, became my friend, and after 
 a time was convinced that I was innocent. It was 
 a great relief, my dear mother, to hear these words 
 falling for the first time from a human mouth, 
 ' I believe that you are not guilty. ' It was the rep- 
 resentative of God on earth who thus extolled me 
 in my own eyes. I was overcome with gratitude, 
 and I made a vow to devote myself to the service 
 of this God in whose name the work of pity and love 
 was being effected." 
 
 "What! Jacques, you wish. ..." 
 
 " To become a priest, yes, mother. It will be an 
 act of wisdom as well as an act of repentance. Do 
 not misunderstand me. In this world, even tho I 
 succeed in bringing about the triumph of truth, and 
 in proving my innocence, I shall none the less be 
 branded with infamy. A stain like the one inflicted 
 on me can never be completely washed away. In 
 spite of everything, my friends will treat me coldly, 
 will hold out their hands without a word. The 
 blemish will remain just the same. I shall have to 
 suffer from continually seeing that I am only wel- 
 comed under tolerance, and that any sympathy 
 shown me will be forced. Therefore it will be 
 more dignified on my part to withdraw from a so- 
 ciety the doors of which would only be opened to 
 me through charity. My pride would have coun- 
 seled such a refuge for me, even tho my convic- 
 
 307 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 tions had not forced me to this conclusion. I will 
 stay near you to make you forget the grief I have 
 caused you, and m3^ life will be spent in paying my 
 debt of tenderness. You will recover your son once 
 again, and who knows whether, after some time, 
 comparing what I shall be with what I was in the 
 past, you may not be brought to think that Provi- 
 dence seemed bent on my ruin the better to save 
 me!" 
 
 " Oh, no ! my dear child. However sweet your 
 promises, I shall never be able to recall without 
 shuddering the terrible nightmare of the last two 
 years. Look how my face is wrinkled, how gray my 
 hair has become, and see how my hands tremble. In 
 twenty-four months I have aged a score of years. 
 Now I look like a septuagenarian. Have I, too, 
 committed great sins that I have been so heavily 
 punished? For the chastisement you accept has 
 been extended to your sister and your mother, and 
 that is not right ! " 
 
 Jacques's features contracted, and he looked up 
 with sorrowful eyes. 
 
 " Yes, and it is that very fact which will make me 
 implacable against those whose hate has followed 
 me. I mean the fact that the innocent have suffered 
 along with the guilty. I was wandering, just now, 
 mother, when speaking of pity and charity. The 
 time has not yet come for me to be helpful and in- 
 dulgent. I have to condemn and to punish first." 
 
 " Are you certain to succeed in this? " 
 
 "Those who are guilty can not escape me; they 
 are in my power ; my appearance alone is sufficient 
 
 308 
 
MOTHER AND SON MEET IN LONDON 
 
 to confound them. Their sole security is in their 
 certainty that I shall never return. Still, though 
 acquainted with their crimes, I am ignorant of the 
 reasons they have had for committing them, and it 
 is in these reasons especially that my justification 
 will lie. I must prove, mother, not only that I have 
 been unjustly condemned, but also who committed 
 the murder and for what reason. This is the work 
 to which I will devote my final energies as a man. 
 Afterward I will be all indulgence and gentleness." 
 
 "Then that wretched woman," said Madame de 
 Freneuse, " for whom you had committed so many 
 follies, and whom you are accused of having killed, 
 is living? " 
 
 " Yes, she is here in London. Last night she was 
 singing at Covent Garden. In company with our 
 friends, I was present at the performance. Seated 
 in an obscure box, painted like an actor, so that no 
 one could recognize me, I passed the evening in L^a 
 Pirelli's presence. Tragomer was not mistaken. 
 It is indeed L^a herself. But tokens of her remorse 
 are visible on her face. In spite of her dazzling 
 beauty, she suffers, I am certain. She must have 
 been seized with some indescribable outburst to 
 commit the atrocious crime for which I have been 
 held responsible. But I have no doubt whatever 
 that she is sorry for it. Who knows, perhaps she 
 may be disposed to atone for it ! I shall soon know 
 everything, for I must take some decisive steps in 
 the matter. On the interview I shall have with her 
 will depend the success of our enterprise." 
 
 " Would no other influence than yours have any 
 309 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 effect on this woman?" asked Mademoiselle de 
 Fr^neuse. "Would she not be accessible to pity? 
 Suppose I went to beseech her? " 
 
 " No, it is impossible. Such a course would put 
 her on her guard, and we might obtain no result. I 
 well understand, my dear Marie, that you are afraid 
 for my sake, and that you would like to prevent me 
 exposing myself to risk. You imagine that L6a, be- 
 wildered at my appearance, is capable of creating a 
 scandal and causing my arrest. Do not fear any- 
 thing of the kind. She is far too brave a woman to 
 have recourse to such vulgar methods. The dispute 
 between us will be entirely of a moral nature, and 
 I dread neither treachery nor violence. Oh, I 
 should not have the same assurance had I to deal 
 with our excellent friend Sorfege! " 
 "Ah! the wretch!" 
 
 " Yes, he deserves the deepest hatred and scorn. 
 But wait, we must be patient. Let us find out 
 exactly what part he has played in the drama, and 
 he shall be punished, I promise you, for all the suf- 
 fering he has caused us." 
 
 The expression on Jacques's countenance changed ; 
 he sat down between his mother and sister, smiling- 
 ly, and with a look of happy relief began to speak. 
 
 310 
 
Chapter III 
 
 THE LOVE OF MARIE AND TRAGOMER 
 
 " Enough of these atrocious deeds, and of those who 
 have committed them," said Jacques ; " let us cleanse 
 our thoughts and soften our hearts. Tell me what 
 you are doing, how you are spending your time here 
 in London. I do not want you to lead sad and se- 
 questered lives now. No longer any black dresses 
 or dark veils. Here is my little sister as grave as a 
 grandmother. Will her mind never reopen to any- 
 thing but the stern and somber side of life, and will 
 her heart always remain cold and icy? " 
 
 Marie blushed and turned her glance aside. 
 
 "Tragomer has confessed to me," continued 
 Jacques. " I know his weakness as well as your 
 severity toward him. But months of perseverance 
 have atoned for a momentary abandonment. It is 
 to him that I owe my presence here between you 
 two, my dear mother and sister. We must not for- 
 get this. You will never know — I myself do not 
 even know — how much intelligence and courage he 
 has put into my rescue. I will tell you the little I 
 do know, and that will suffice to fill you with admi- 
 ration and gratitude for my two rescuers, Marenval 
 and Christian. I believe Marenval will find his 
 
 311 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 reward in his own satisfaction itself. He has acted 
 like a hero. But how shall we repay Christian if my 
 sister does not take the debt upon herself? " 
 
 Mademoiselle de Fr^neuse raised her eyes and, 
 with a charming smile, said : 
 
 " I knew I could reward him for the risk he was 
 about to run for our sake. He knew, too, that I 
 would repay his fidelity. Still, I will not insult him 
 by thinking that he has done all with the sole object 
 of satisfying me. I believe there was as much 
 friendship as love in his devotion. Do not be 
 anxious. I will fulfil all demands in due time." 
 
 " May I call him? It would only be right to speak 
 a few words of encouragement to him. " 
 
 Mademoiselle de Fr6neuse nodded assent. Jacques 
 pressed the knob of an electric bell. It was not the 
 steward who entered, but instead Marenval and 
 Tragomer, the masters of the yacht. Standing in 
 the saloon under the sharp light coming through the 
 copper - encased portholes, Mademoiselle de Fvi- 
 neuse, slightly pale, watched Christian approach. 
 Had she loved him before repulsing him so harshly? 
 This proud, grave girl was not one of those who 
 lightly tell the secrets of their hearts. Just now she 
 looked steadily at him, and Tragomer, standing be- 
 fore her, with his giant form and arms worthy of a 
 Hercules, trembled with emotion. 
 
 " I wish to speak to you. Monsieur de Tragomer," 
 said Marie, in clear, decisive tones. " Six months 
 ago, on leaving France, you gave me your hand and 
 I placed mine in it. On your side, it was a request 
 of me to forget my troubles ; on mine, a consent to 
 
 312 
 
THE LOVE OF MARIE AND TRAGOMER 
 
 this. Perhaps that was not all you wished for ; still, 
 it was all I could grant you at that time. Since then 
 you have acquired a great claim on our gratitude. 
 My brother pretends that I alone can suitably thank 
 you for the affectionate devotion you have shown 
 him. I am not ungrateful. I thank you from the 
 bottom of my heart, and if I can give you any proof 
 of my gratitude, speak; I am ready to grant you 
 whatever you wish." 
 
 Tragomer's eyelids quivered, his lips trembled. 
 He wished to speak, but could not. As he stood 
 there motionless and dumb, his breast heaving with 
 an emotion for which he could find no expression in 
 words, Mademoiselle de Fr6neuse again held out her 
 dainty fingers and said softly : 
 
 " This hand you asked me for on your departure ; 
 you are now back ; do you wish me to offer it to you? " 
 
 Tragomer took it, and, bowing as tho before an 
 idol, pressed it to his lips and said : 
 
 "Yes. Forever!" 
 
 " Keep it then. But, remember, it can only be- 
 long to you when the name of the one who now 
 offers it is free from every stain. I will be your 
 wife. Christian, only when you can marry me with 
 the approval of all." 
 
 " Be assured, Marie, and you also, madame, that 
 moment will come speedily. " 
 
 They were happy; Marenval was exultant. He 
 took pride in and credit for all this joy. The time 
 passed rapidly, and day was already declining when 
 Madame de Fr^neuse and her daughter took leave 
 of Jacques. While landing from the yacht they 
 
 313 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 passed a man of distinguished mien, whom it was 
 easy to recognize as a Frenchman by his general ap- 
 pearance. He stopped to allow them to pass, bowed, 
 and stepped on to the foot-bridge. Doubtless he 
 was expected, for Marenval, who was walking to 
 and fro on the deck, came eagerly to meet him, and, 
 after a vigorous handshake, said : 
 
 " Come this way, my dear lawyer." 
 
 "Hush!" said the visitor with a smile. "No 
 name or title, please, my dear friend. " 
 
 And, following his guide, he descended. It was 
 Pierre de Vesin. Doubtless it was not the first time 
 he had been on board the Magic, for he followed 
 without a mistake the pathway which led along the 
 water-tight bulkhead to the stern. There, in a small 
 smoking-room next to the dining-room, he found 
 Tragomer and Jacques. After shaking hands he 
 sat down and said : 
 
 " I have just met your mother and sister. They 
 appeared delighted, poor souls! It was, indeed, 
 time the prospect began to look brighter for them. 
 But things are progressing satisfactorily, and I 
 have brought you good news. The detective set 
 to watch Jenny Hawkins has arrived. He has 
 been brought into relations with Inspector Melville, 
 the head of the English detective service, a man 
 of great abilities, who will direct all operations. 
 The result of the appeal for a summons against 
 Jenny Hawkins is not very satisfactory. ... If we 
 look upon the singer as American, it is extremely 
 difficult to arrest her in England for a crime com- 
 mitted in France — on which, too, a verdict has 
 
 314 
 
THE LOVE OF MARIE AND TRAGOMER 
 
 already been pronounced. If we call her by her 
 real name, L6a Pirelli, she becomes Italian, and 
 that brings about fresh complications. If she were 
 in France, it would be simple enough ; a mere sum- 
 mons to appear would be sufficient. Here, in Eng- 
 land, it becomes very inconvenient. . . . There is 
 no country in the world in which liberty has more 
 securities. ... It amounts to license. This is the 
 land of promise for villains of all kinds. " 
 
 "Well! What will your detective do? " asked Tra- 
 gomer. 
 
 " Keep a strict watch on Sorfege and the singer 
 and be in readiness to intervene if necessary. In 
 any case, furnish us with minute particulars as to 
 what our opponents will do. I myself am on a holi- 
 day, and am in this matter acting only as a private 
 individual — your friend, nothing more. I have left 
 my title and functions behind in Paris. The Keeper 
 of the Seals, whom I called on with the Attorney- 
 General, is extremely interested in the issue of this 
 affair. He is a red-hot Liberal, who would look 
 upon the fact that amends for a great injustice were 
 to take place under his ministry as a personal glory. 
 We have for some time been too much annoyed with 
 questionable revisions, so that now we shall be 
 only too delighted to try a hopeful one. The whole 
 world would thus be made to see that we are in- 
 spired by a pure, disinterested love of truth and 
 justice. That is what our chief said — in other words 
 — and he at once arranged with the detective service 
 that everything should be carried out expeditiously 
 and secretly." 
 
 315 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " But what did the Minister say of what took place 
 at Noumea? " asked Marenval, rubbing his hands 
 together. 
 
 " My dear friend, that is called a ' case in reserve. ' 
 It has not been put in question. The report on the 
 escape has reached Paris. But it is impossible to 
 raise up anything against you there. The precau- 
 tions taken by Tragomer to disguise his identity 
 have deceived the administration. According to the 
 governor, it was an English vessel which effected 
 the escape, and afterward steamed straight for Aus- 
 tralia. If you refrain from idle boasts about the 
 abduction, you will be free from all responsibility. 
 Once the proofs of Monsieur de Fr^neuse's innocence 
 are in our hands, all he will have to do will be to 
 give himself up as a prisoner and allow matters to 
 take their regular course. But we must have ma- 
 terial proofs; that is the main point. Everything 
 depends on the production of such. If you do not 
 obtain the confession of the real culprit, Monsieur 
 de Fr^neuse's position becomes very serious, and he 
 will have to set out for South America if he wishes to 
 live free from any possible prosecution. To tell you 
 the truth, I have never known a case so full of diffi- 
 culty and danger. Everything is irregular, which- 
 ever way one turns ; regulations and laws have been 
 outrageously violated. Still, I quite acknowledge 
 that it is impossible to find any other issue from the 
 difficulty." 
 
 " Have you seen Sor^ge since your arrival in Lon- 
 don? " asked Tragomer. 
 
 " I was dining with him and Julius Harvey yester- 
 316 
 
THE LOVE OF MARIE AND TRAGOMER 
 
 day. You were the subject of conversation, and 
 Sorfege showed himself magnificently impudent. 
 He extolled you to the skies. " 
 
 " Patience ! He will change his tune before long. 
 I am keeping him for myself ; he has an account to 
 settle with me for all his treachery. I intend to tell 
 him, once for all, what I think of him. But per- 
 haps he will find himself so compromised, in com- 
 pany with Miss Jenny Hawkins, that the only thing 
 to do will be to leave him to explain matters with 
 your agent." 
 
 Pierre de Vesin shook his head. 
 
 "Ah! He is too cunning for you to succeed in 
 subduing him so easily. He has so much at stake 
 that he will defend himself vigorously. The ques- 
 tion with him is ' To be or not to be,' as Sir Henry 
 Irving says so well. If he wins, he possesses Julius 
 Harvey's millions, without counting the huge satis- 
 faction of having flouted us all in fine style. If he 
 loses. . . . Ah ! my friends, then he will be danger- 
 ous. A tiger at bay, certain of his fate, will be 
 bent on having a few victims. ... At that moment 
 be on your guard! " 
 
 "I have killed tigers," said Tragomer quietly, 
 " You bowl them over like rabbits. " 
 
 " You underestimate Sor^ge ; he is infinitely more 
 to be feared," Vesin replied. 
 
 Jacques had listened to this discussion without 
 uttering a word. He appeared absorbed in thought. 
 One might have imagined he was not listening. 
 Still, he appeared to have heard Christian's words, 
 and softly laying his hand on his friend's arm, spoke. 
 
 317 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "No one has any right," he said, "to dispose of 
 Sorfege without my consent. He belongs to none 
 other than myself. I will not even hand him over 
 to justice. I will give him an opportunity of avoid- 
 ing disgrace, and thus extend to him that pity he 
 would not bestow on me. If he is really so base as 
 Tragomer suspects, I reserve to myself the right to 
 judge and punish him." 
 
 Tragomer bowed his head in token of assent. 
 
 " Very good ! That is only right. I have no ob- 
 jection to make." 
 
 " As for L6a Pirelli," continued Jacques, " you will 
 only have to wait till to-morrow to know what part 
 she has played in this matter." 
 
 Vesin and Marenval had arisen from their seats. 
 
 "Will you dine with me?" asked the magistrate. 
 
 " Certainly. Just give me time to put on a coat 
 and I will be with you. We will leave these two 
 young men 'en tete-k-tete. ' " 
 
 " Where are you going? " asked Tragomer. 
 
 "To the Savoy. That is where one can dine 
 best." 
 
 "And most expensively! " 
 
 " You will dine no better than on board." 
 
 "You may be right," said the lawyer, with a 
 laugh. " But do not forget that, ethically, judges 
 ought not to dine at the same table as prisoners." 
 
 "Good-by, then," said Marenval. 
 
 "We shall meet again to-morrow at Julius Har- 
 vey's dinner party." 
 
 318 
 
Chapter IV 
 
 CORNERED 
 
 The squatter was living in a very fine hotel in 
 Grosvenor Square. He had an establishment in Lon- 
 don, as in Paris, and every year his daughter took 
 him to England for a couple of months. Often 
 one or both of his sons accompanied them, as they 
 preferred life in England, where they were under 
 more congenial surroundings than in France. Con- 
 tinental morals and ideas, customs and tastes, were 
 insupportable to them. These robust young men 
 could not exist in the narrow limits of conventional 
 life. They would often feel inclined to take off their 
 dress-coats in the middle of a soiree, and thrust their 
 white cravats in their pockets. The open-air Eng- 
 lish life compensated them for the gloomy in-door 
 life of the salons. 
 
 On leaving a dinner, or after a performance at the 
 theater, they would take a row on the Thames, or 
 make a journey of a hundred and fifty miles by rail, 
 to attend a fox-hunt. Then, after breaking a few 
 oars, or almost riding to death a few horses, they 
 would return, toned up, and in the best of spirits. 
 Their father envied them, but he was restrained by 
 Miss Harvey, who would not allow him to do all he 
 wished. 
 
 319 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 The American society of London, welcomed as fa- 
 vorably by the English gentry as by Parisian society, 
 rivals in luxury the most aristocratic families of Eng- 
 land. They fling money about in London with even 
 more lordly abandon than in Paris. One might say 
 that these parvenus, with scarcely a hundred years 
 of national existence, are bent on amazing the Old 
 World by an exhibition of their extraordinary vi- 
 tality. The English, tho jealous of this output of 
 strength and realization of power, can not help being 
 kindly disposed toward these ungrateful children 
 who turned upon their mother. They do not forget 
 that the same blood flows through their veins. And, 
 like indulgent grandparents, they pass lightly over 
 these American escapades until the time comes 
 when with their practical common sense they will 
 understand that it is to their interest to encourage 
 them. Then the Anglo-Saxon alliance, in both 
 New and Old Worlds, will be an accomplished fact. 
 The American eagle and the British lion will have 
 common interests and bonds. 
 
 For the time being, the relations between the two 
 nations are cultivated by dinners and other enter- 
 tainments given by millionaires prior to alliances 
 between the descendants of the Conquest and the 
 cattle-breeders or mine-owners. The statistics of 
 the marriages which have introduced the young la- 
 dies of Chicago, New York, or Philadelphia into the 
 most aristocratic English families are very interest- 
 ing. These tend to show that England has drained 
 America of more than a hundred million dollars in 
 marriage portions. 
 
 320 
 
CORNERED 
 
 When the matrimonial mart is public, the exchange 
 of friendly relations between countries that produce 
 husbands and those that produce wives becomes 
 remarkably easy. Accordingly, the Harvey family 
 had one foot in France and the other in England. 
 But France was winning, since the Count de Sorege 
 had been accepted as fianc^. Still, since Tragomer 
 had arrived on board the Magic, and had called on 
 the squatter, Sorfege's prestige seemed to have les- 
 sened. The two youngest brothers, Philip and 
 Edward, were just then in London, and their en- 
 thusiasm for Christian's athletic figure was very 
 pronounced. The cowboy Philip had bluntly in- 
 formed his sister that she ought to have chosen such 
 a man as the Breton nobleman. 
 
 " He is like one of ourselves ; can ride as well as 
 old Pew, our riding-master ; can walk without becom- 
 ing tired ; knows how to handle a rifle and a knife, 
 and has fished on the great lakes. . . . Why, with 
 your money, Maud, did you not find a strong, sturdy 
 fellow like Count Christian, instead of hunting out 
 this gloomy -looking owl of a Sorege? Since Julius 
 Harvey and sons paid the dowry you wished, you 
 ought to have chosen the very best." 
 
 "Still, Philip," Miss Maud had replied, "the best 
 man on the prairie is not the best in a salon. Since 
 I have made up my mind to live in Europe, perhaps 
 it is preferable that I marry a quiet man rather than 
 some reckless dare-devil like yourself or my other 
 brothers." 
 
 " It is your concern, Maud, so you must follow 
 your own inclination. But if you have any thought 
 21 321 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 of your future children, it would be more to your in- 
 terest to marry a good fellow like Tragomer than a 
 stock -fish like Sorfege. Still, it is your own affair! " 
 
 " Indeed ! " said the young girl. " There is noth- 
 ing to prove that M. de Tragomer has any thought 
 of me. Besides, as he told me himself, his affections 
 are already engaged." 
 
 " In that case, we must let the matter drop. " 
 
 The infatuation of her brothers for the simple and 
 proud, tho sturdy, Christian had certainly had its 
 influence on Miss Maud, for during the week that 
 the Magic had been moored in the Thames, she had 
 boarded it twice, and had invited Christian and Ma- 
 renval to dine with her father. Besides, she met 
 the two Frenchmen almost every morning in Hyde 
 Park, where, accompanied by her brothers, she went 
 for a ride, at such a slow pace that as long as it 
 lasted these centaurs were in a state of lamentable 
 depression. Nothing less than a good game of 
 cricket at Lord's restored the two young savages to 
 their normal condition. Tragomer handled a bat 
 with a vigor which had contributed in no slight 
 degree to keep him in the good graces of Maud's 
 brothers. 
 
 The evening before Mademoiselle and Madame de 
 Fr^neuse had come on board the yacht Marenval 
 and Tragomer, on taking their usual constitutional 
 along the Serpentine, had met Miss Maud on foot, 
 followed by her carriage and footman. 
 
 " Where are your brothers, Miss Maud? " said 
 Christian, after shaking hands. "Have they left 
 you? " 
 
 322 
 
CORNERED 
 
 " They are at the Archers' Club, watching a very 
 interesting match, it appears. Shall we continue 
 our walk? " 
 
 " Yes, if you will allow us to accompany you." 
 
 Accordingly they took up positions on either side 
 of the young girl, walking in step with her. After 
 a momentary silence, Christian said tentatively : 
 
 " Do you remember, Miss Maud, a conversation 
 we had about six months ago on the evening your 
 father did me the honor of introducing me to you? " 
 
 " Yes, quite well. I have thought of it since with 
 special interest. We were speaking of your former 
 friend, Jacques de Fr6neuse, and what you told me 
 keenly impressed me. You seemed so certain of the 
 poor fellow's innocence that I have often wondered 
 what could be done to ascertain the truth. " 
 
 " That evening you pointed out to me the course 
 to take," resumed Christian, with a smile. "You 
 even found great fault with me because I made no 
 attempt on behalf of my friend. ' For my part, ' 
 you exclaimed, ' had one of my brothers been un- 
 justly condemned, no obstacle should prevent me 
 from attempting to bring about his rescue.' You 
 were very angry with me. Luckily, you have since 
 modified your opinion, and our relations have suffered 
 nothing from this first impression." 
 
 Miss Harvey looked fixedly at Christian, and said 
 in decisive tones : 
 
 " Why do you bring back that subject, since it was 
 not favorable to you? I know you well enough now 
 to understand that you have some reason for doing 
 so. Have you learned anything fresh concerning 
 
 323 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 your friend? Perhaps you have obtained certain 
 proof of his innocence? " 
 
 Tragomer continued walking with bowed head, 
 and without looking at the young girl. 
 
 " May I speak to you in full confidence, Miss Har- 
 vey? Can the women of your country be discreet 
 when requested? If so, they possess a great superi- 
 ority over the women of Europe, who are incapable 
 of resisting a temptation to speak, and who would 
 hang their best friends for the pleasure of letting 
 loose what they have on the tip of their tongues. " 
 
 " The women of America in this respect are men," 
 said Miss Harvey. " You may entrust them with a 
 secret ; they would die rather than betray it. We 
 are still savages, do not forget ; but we possess the 
 virtues as well as the failings of savages." 
 
 " Good ! Then I will have confidence in you, and 
 will impart my plans. ... I see from Marenval's 
 face that he would rather I were more reserved, but 
 never mind, I will take the risk. ..." 
 
 "Do so, my dear friend," said Cyprien, "but be- 
 gin by telling Miss Harvey of the consequences our 
 enterprise may have concerning a certain person 
 with whom she is on very intimate terms." 
 
 Maud stopped suddenly, and turned pale, 
 
 " Are you speaking of M. de Sorfege? " 
 
 Tragomer nodded : 
 
 " Marenval has done well to mention this at the 
 outset. You see how troubled you are, Miss Har- 
 vey, and how hazardous it is for me to oppose your 
 sincerity to your interest." 
 
 The blood rushed back to the cheeks of the young 
 324 
 
CORNERED 
 
 American girl. She continvied her walk, and said, 
 in decisive tones: 
 
 " Then it is really M. de Sorfege who is implicated 
 in the matter in question? Do not imagine it is 
 in my nature to cherish illusions concerning him. 
 What kind of a woman should I be were I to refuse 
 to know the truth regarding a man whose name I 
 am about to take, if the truth could be known? If 
 he has been guilty of a mean act, will he be the less 
 guilty because I am to marry him? To close one's 
 eyes so as not to see, and to do so wilfully, is to imi- 
 tate the ostrich, which, by burying its head in sand, 
 imagines it avoids impending danger. M. de Sorfege 
 is my fianc^. He is neither rich nor talented, nor 
 even intellectual ; he has nothing but his name. If 
 that name is not free from stain, I would not share 
 it under any consideration. " 
 
 This was uttered in tones as dry and sharp as the 
 lash of a whip. There was no doubting the young 
 girl's sincerity. Her frank, open character was visi- 
 ble in her looks. 
 
 " Well, here is the truth, since you wish to know it. 
 Instead of taking a sea- voyage to Egypt and Syria, 
 Marenval and I crossed the Suez Canal, reached the 
 Indian Ocean, passed over to Batavia and crossed 
 to New Caledonia. Under an assumed name, and 
 armed with forged testimonials, I landed. I saw 
 Jacques de Fr^neuse, and the following day Maren- 
 val and I rescued him by force." 
 
 " Is it possible? " exclaimed Miss Harvey, violent- 
 ly excited. "What! M. Marenval and you! French- 
 men! gentlemen of birth and position? You actu- 
 
 325 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 ally did that? Oh! if Edward and Philip only knew 
 it, they would be wild with enthusiasm ! " 
 
 " Hush ! They must know nothing whatever about 
 it," interrupted Tragomer, gently. 
 
 " So you have brought back your poor friend? " 
 
 " He is on board our ship." 
 
 " On the Thames? " 
 
 " Facing the docks. His mother and sister are 
 going to see him to-morrow. They have arrived 
 secretly in London. We have carefully concealed 
 them, for their presence here would awaken suspi- 
 cion, and we can succeed in our enterprise only by 
 acting discreetly." 
 
 " How happy these dear ladies will be? Ah ! How 
 I should like to witness their joy? This adventure 
 intensely interests me. Have you really traveled 
 thousands of miles through friendship for M. de 
 Fr^neuse? . . . You, Parisians as you are, have left 
 your city, your pleasures, your regular routine, to 
 travel so far and to risk your lives? " 
 
 "Marenval indeed risked his," said Christian. 
 " He was within an ace of being killed by a pistol- 
 shot. Had you seen him at that moment, you would 
 not have forgotten it soon! " 
 
 Miss Harvey raised her hand in her enthusiasm, 
 and, in tones quivering with excitement, which 
 stirred the supplicant to the depths of his being, 
 said: "Well, I never thought you would have be- 
 come a hero ! The French are capable of anything ! 
 But you do not tell me what you were doing all this 
 time, M. de Tragomer " 
 
 "He," replied Marenval, "was in the water with 
 326 
 
CORNERED 
 
 Jacques, supporting and encouraging him as they 
 swam, beneath a hail of revolver-shots and in a sea 
 swarming with sharks. . . . Yes, Miss Harvey, it 
 was a lively time ! We were compelled to sink the 
 revenue-cutter so as to stop pursuit. But we did not 
 fire a single shot, even in self-defense, for, being 
 Frenchmen, we could not forget we were dealing 
 with our own countrymen. . . . Ah ! it was indeed 
 a narrow escape for us ! I can assure you that at 
 night, when on board the yacht, with engines at full 
 speed, we heartily relished our food ! " 
 
 " Your friend was there, saved by you. How great 
 your joy must have been and how deep his grati- 
 tude!" 
 
 " He was delirious, but recovered by degrees, and 
 after comparing notes, we have been enabled to ob- 
 tain proof that he is innocent." 
 
 Miss Harvey reflected for a moment, and then add- 
 ed gravely : 
 
 " And, according to you, M. de Sorfege knew that 
 he was innocent? " 
 
 " We have no doubt of it. " 
 
 " Will you prove it? " 
 
 " That will be the evident result of the test we are 
 about to make, for which we need your assistance. 
 This is how the matter stands. The day after to- 
 morrow we are to dine with your father and a few 
 of his friends. . . . To-day, this very morning, ex- 
 press a wish that the Jenny Hawkins now singing at 
 Covent Garden be invited to attend after the dinner. 
 Sorfege knows her, he will act as intermediary, if 
 you insist, and will induce the prima-donna to come." 
 
 327 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "Very well! I will do as you say. But after- 
 ward? " 
 
 " That is all. We will attend to the rest. Be very 
 careful, however, not to utter a single unnecessary 
 word to Sorfege. You wish to amuse your friends, 
 you have heard the beautiful Jenny at the theater, 
 and you would like to have her singing in your sa- 
 lon. If he raises any objection, insist, but do not 
 show your guns." 
 
 " Leave it all to me. " 
 
 " I must also ask you for an invitation for a young 
 Englishman, a friend of ours, who will call for a cup 
 of tea during the evening if you authorize him to do 
 so." 
 
 "His name?" 
 
 "For all the others, Sir Herbert Carlton. For 
 you, Jacques de Frfeneuse." 
 
 " Heavens! What is this you are plotting? " asked 
 Miss Maud uneasily. 
 
 " You will see. As the matter interests you, you 
 shall be present at one of the most important epi- 
 sodes. You have driven me to risk everything to 
 save my friend, Miss Harvey; you must now help 
 me to attain my object, whatever may come of it." 
 
 " In this I will help you loyally, M. de Tragomer, 
 and if any one has anything to reproach himself for, 
 the worse for him. Above all, it must be our busi- 
 ness to defend honest people." 
 
 " When Jacques de Fr^neuse makes his appear- 
 ance," said Christian, "study carefully Jenny Haw- 
 kins and Sorfege. However self-possessed they may 
 be, their astonished looks and blanched faces will be- 
 
 328 
 
CORNERED 
 
 tray their secret. You have seen ' Macbeth ' played, 
 Miss Harvey; and you know how terrified the 
 crowned assassin appears as he sees his victim's 
 ghost arise in the midst of the feast. Watch the 
 singer and your fianc6 ; you will have the scene re- 
 peated. But we have to deal with very clever peo- 
 ple. Under almost similar circumstances, Jenny 
 Hawkins retained admirable sang-froid. Perhaps she 
 will try to slip away. Under no pretext allow her 
 to communicate with Sorfege before you or to leave 
 the salon. From the moment Jacques de Fr^neuse 
 is in the presence of his opponents, it will be for him 
 to combat them, without help, and in his own way; 
 you will have only to prevent their avoiding him." 
 
 " I will do as you say, I give you my word. " 
 
 " Very good. Now we must separate till to-mor- 
 row." 
 
 Miss Harvey entered her carriage, and the two 
 Frenchmen continued their walk, admiring the ele- 
 gance of the equipages which were entering the 
 park, as tho they had nothing whatever to preoccupy 
 their minds. 
 
 The Harvey mansion was a beautiful dwelling built 
 in Louis XVI. style, regardless of expense, by the 
 Duke of Somerset, and paid for by the American. 
 The furniture and interior appointments was luxu- 
 rious. Miss Maud had had the good taste to pre- 
 serve the former decoration of the salons, which were 
 altogether in light tints, with convoluted piers, over- 
 hung with beautiful cameo pictures. The dining- 
 room, splendidly ornamented with a raasaive mantel- 
 shelf, in the screen of which was framed a picture 
 
 329 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 by Gainsborough, had a seating capacity for forty 
 guests. 
 
 That evening, after the ladies had left the table, 
 about a dozen gentlemen. Christian and Marenval 
 among them, were, according to custom, doing hon- 
 or to the liquors. The young cowboys, ill at ease 
 in the black coats which encased their sturdy frames, 
 made amends for the restraint imposed on them 
 by society by taking a few drinks of whisky. The 
 Frenchmen, since the beginning of the dinner, had 
 scarcely touched their glasses. Julius Harvey, who 
 was very careful in his diet, on account of the gout, 
 which had already threatened him, scarcely did jus- 
 tice to the repast. Sorfege was engaged in what ap- 
 peared a deeply interesting conversation with George 
 Saligman, the great promoter of gold-mines on the 
 European market. It was ten o'clock, and the at- 
 mosphere of the dining-room was already becoming 
 heavy, when Julius said to his guests : 
 
 " If you feel inclined to smoke, let us leave the 
 room, for my daughter will certainly be coming 
 soon to ask us to adjourn to the salon. " 
 
 " Tragomer and I will come at once, if you will 
 allow us," said Marenval. 
 
 Sorfege raised his head, but made no attempt to 
 follow his compatriots. His plan of conduct was 
 already decided upon, and he was not a man to mod- 
 ify it. So long as Jenny Hawkins had not arrived, 
 there was nothing to fear. He could accordingly 
 allow himself a respite, and reserve his tactics until 
 such time as he could make use of them advanta- 
 geously. Marenval and Christian, crossing a conser- 
 
 330 
 
CORNERED 
 
 vatory filled with the finest tropical plants, and in the 
 midst of which was the marble basin of a fountain 
 into which flowed a stream of limpid water from an 
 ivy-covered rock, entered the salon. 
 
 In the brilliancy of electric light the ladies, in full 
 evening-dress, grouped round Miss Maud, offered a 
 most charming picture. A few young American 
 girls, with complexions like fresh carnations, rather 
 heavy chins, light hair, broad shoulders, and long 
 waists, were chattering to one another. The object 
 of their conversation was the prima-donna, whose 
 expected presence offered Julius Harvey's guests an 
 attraction quite out of the ordinary. A few of them 
 had heard her in America, others had just been 
 applauding her at Covent Garden. All knew her, 
 tho none had seen her in private life. The artiste's 
 great reputation, the woman's great beauty, made 
 her appearance in Miss Harvey's salon an event al- 
 together sensational. 
 
 The arrival of Marenval and Tragomer was oppor- 
 tune. In Julius's American circle these Frenchmen 
 were well received. They were known to be travel- 
 ers, rich and amiable, and so everybody felt disposed 
 to pardon them for not being of Anglo-Saxon de- 
 scent. Miss Gower was relating a visit she had 
 paid the previous week to the castle of Craig-y-Nos, 
 Madame Patti's home, and she had attracted the at- 
 tention of her audience. 
 
 " Just imagine. There is a theater where whole 
 operas can be played. Is not that fine? Last week 
 they played a ballet in which the diva took the prin- 
 cipal role. ..." 
 
 331 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "And yet she possesses the finest voice in the 
 world! " 
 
 " No one could form any idea of the luxury in- 
 dulged in there. The guests find riding and car- 
 riage horses placed at their disposal. Those who 
 are fond of fishing can take to the lake or to the 
 river; for those who prefer hunting, there are the 
 woods and the open plain. Everything is on a 
 truly royal scale ! ..." 
 
 " Are not artists the kings of the universe nowa- 
 days? They are never dethroned or hunted down 
 with guns or insulted in the press. All kinds of fa- 
 vor, praise, and homage are lavished on them. Their 
 civil lists are never put in question. When they grow 
 old they receive universal honor, and when they die 
 their funeral cortege is accompanied by a nation in 
 mourning. These artists are indeed to be envied! 
 And what have they given the populace in exchange 
 for all this? " 
 
 A voice full of irony replied: 
 
 " Scarcely anything — their genius! " 
 
 All turned round to see who had spoken. It was 
 Pierre de Vesin who had just entered the room. The 
 lawyer, with a smile, walked up to Miss Maud and 
 kissed her hand; then he bowed to the graceful 
 group of ladies, and, leaning against the mantel- 
 piece, said: 
 
 " The scene just pictured is a very pretty one ; but 
 it has a companion tableau, which must also be ex- 
 hibited. In the artistic career, as in every other, 
 there is a considerable amount of happiness; still, 
 while some artists end in opulence and glory, others 
 
 332 
 
CORNERED 
 
 disappear in misery and oblivion, like a star which 
 has long shone forth in the firmament and then 
 darkens and dies out. You have had Garrick, who 
 left millions to his heirs and was buried in Westmin- 
 ster Abbey. We have had Frederic Lemaitre, who 
 died in debt, and now lies beneath a humble stone 
 paid for by his last admirers. Do not envy the des- 
 tiny of artists. They suffer, even in their triumph. 
 The brilliancy which falls on some is largely compen- 
 sated for by the bitter sorrow which befalls number- 
 less others. Taking everything into consideration, 
 they give much more than they receive, and if you 
 were to place in a balance the artist's talent on the 
 one hand and the applause and money of the specta- 
 tors on the other, it would certainly be the talent 
 which would weigh the heavier." 
 
 "You are quite right," said Miss Harvey. "In 
 America they unharness the horses from Sarah Bern- 
 hardt 's carriage! ..." 
 
 The conversation was interrupted by the entry 
 of the smokers and the master of the house. Some 
 one, carrying a quantity of music under his arm, 
 showed himself at the entrance of the salon. Julius 
 leaned over to his daughter : 
 
 " Doubtless it is the accompanist. Now our star 
 will not be long in appearing. " 
 
 Miss Maud was already approaching the musician, 
 and conducted him toward the piano, which occupied 
 one corner of the salon. A few guests had arrived, 
 and about fifty persons were present, grouped in 
 small, congenial circles. It was the ^lite of the 
 American colony. The millions of all those assem- 
 
 333 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 bled that evening in Julius Harvey's mansion would 
 have sufficed to pay the debt of a European state. 
 There were railway kings, cattle and silver kings, 
 without reckoning petroleum and other princes — a 
 whole Gotha of mammoth industry and commerce 
 and successful finance. 
 
 Marenval, Vesin, and Tragomer had taken up a po- 
 sition apart from the rest. They were sitting in the 
 recess of a window, between the entrance-door and 
 the piano. Nothing of what was about to take place 
 in the drawing-room could possibly escape them. 
 Sor^ge was chatting, with the utmost serenity, to the 
 beautiful Duchess of Blenheim. A door, however, 
 had just opened and a valet's voice was heard above 
 the murmur of the conversation, uttering three words 
 which occasioned an immediate silence : 
 
 " Miss Jenny Hawkins. " 
 
 There on the threshold, tall, elegant, and proud, 
 looking slightly pale, but with a smile on her face, 
 the singer appeared. She wore a dress of white 
 damask, ornamented with gold lace. She wore no 
 jewels beyond a single pearl necklace, and a diamond 
 comb which sparkled in her chestnut hair. She 
 cast an imperious, almost threatening, glance over 
 the company, as tho seeking out those who were pre- 
 paring to attack her and the one who had promised 
 to defend her. Her eyes passed over Marenval and 
 Tragomer without a pause, and fastened with ques- 
 tioning glance on Sorfege. 
 
 The latter with a smile arose, and, crossing the 
 room with admirable self-assurance, offered his arm 
 to the singer. 
 
 334 
 
CORNERED 
 
 These two, standing alone in the middle of the 
 company, seemed as tho challenging fortune to do her 
 worst. Jenny Hawkins's lofty brow did not lower, 
 as with firm step she entered this drawing-room, 
 where she felt her destiny was to be decided. Miss 
 Maud and Harvey advanced to meet her, and were 
 already thanking her for the kindness she had shown 
 in acceding to their request. From their corner 
 the three Frenchmen could not help admiring the 
 courage, the superior sang-froid and pride with which 
 this woman carried herself. A more rapid heaving 
 of her snow-white breast and a nervous twitching of 
 her charming eyes alone testified to the anguish with 
 which she was tortured. To all appearance she was 
 tranquil, as much at ease as the most indififerent of 
 Julius Harvey's guests. Tragomer chose this mo- 
 ment to rise from his seat and go to pay his respects 
 to the singer. She saw him approach, and a shud- 
 der ran over her velvety skin, but she did not even 
 turn her head. It was only on hearing him address 
 her in English that a gesture of surprise escaped 
 her, so perfectly executed that Christian stood look- 
 ing at her in admiration. 
 
 "Ah! M. de Tragomer, I believe?" she said. 
 
 She held out her hand, which he shook ; then with 
 perfect sang-froid and calm, pure voice added : 
 
 " We have traversed a considerable distance since 
 the evening we last saw one another. ..." 
 
 "You have carried off fresh triumphs," said Tra- 
 gomer. 
 
 "And you have undertaken fresh explorations; 
 have you been lucky in your discoveries? " 
 
 335 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 This sentence, with its double meaning, was ut- 
 tered with such fine irony that Christian trembled. 
 He reflected ; what guaranty of her security can she 
 have that she speaks in this tone of raillery and un- 
 der such circumstances? Then he imagined she was 
 perhaps trying to intimidate him. He replied : 
 
 " I will allow you to judge for yourself if it is of 
 any interest to you. " 
 
 "Certainly." 
 
 She nodded to the young man, and was led away 
 to the piano by Miss Harvey. Sorfege had taken a 
 seat near the hearth, and there with eyelids seeming- 
 ly closed he appeared absorbed in strict attention. 
 Still, he did not lose sight of the singer. A profound 
 silence reigned, the pianist played a short prelude, 
 then, as tho to intensify the challenge she had flung 
 at Tragomer, Jenny Hawkins sang the " Ave Maria " 
 from " Othello," which the young man had heard in 
 San Francisco that memorable evening. She ex- 
 pressed in tones of exquisite feeling Desdemona's 
 anguish and prayer for pity. Her pure, beautiful 
 voice seemed to have gained in flexibility as well as 
 in compass. A murmur of delight spread through 
 the audience, and without any fear of exhibiting a 
 lack of dignity, Harvey's guests applauded enthusias- 
 tically. The cowboys themselves had been won 
 over by the charm of inspiration, and astonished at 
 the sensations they experienced they stayed there 
 motionless, in one corner of the salon, without 
 thought of taking refuge in the smoking-room, as 
 they had intended to do. 
 
 Again the sweet strains of the piano were heard, 
 336 
 
CORNERED 
 
 and Jenny Hawkins, radiant in her white robe, stood 
 there in the middle of the company, fascinating it 
 by her beauty as well as by her talent, as she cast a 
 domineering look over her admirers. She was now 
 singing the doleful strains of " La Traviata," when 
 the poor woman feels the approach of death. Ex- 
 pressions of farewell to life, happiness, and love 
 escaped her lips, in melodious soul-stirring strains. 
 Suddenly, just as Jenny Hawkins was singing the 
 final bars, closing the cadence with heart-rending 
 expression, her eyes assumed a fixed gaze, and a look 
 of pallor spread over her face ; she raised her arm 
 with a gesture of terror, the words died away on her 
 lips, and leaning on the piano, as tho to prevent her- 
 self from falling backward, the singer stood there 
 motionless, terrible to behold in her pose of tragic 
 horror. 
 
 A man had just appeared before the silk curtain 
 covering the door of the salon. She recognized 
 Jacques de Fr6neuse, standing there sorrowful, pale 
 and thin, a dreaded specter painful to behold. The 
 audience, impressed by this sight and troubled by 
 the singer's attitude, attributing to inspiration what 
 was nothing but the effect of fear, burst forth into a 
 transport of admiration. But already Miss Harvey 
 had drawn near to Jenny Hawkins, and taking her 
 by the hand, asked her : 
 
 " What is the matter, Madame ? Are you in pain ? " 
 
 "No. It is nothing," stammered the singer, 
 "nothing! " 
 
 Her terrified eyes, however, pointed out to the 
 young girl the stranger standing there, motionless, 
 22 337 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 near the silk door-hangings. The latter was now 
 smiling, sure of his power, no longer looking at 
 Jenny Hawkins. His eyes were fixed on another 
 gloomy face, the grinning deformations of which he 
 followed with fierce joy. Sorfege, too, was wondering 
 if he had lost his senses, or if some miracle or other 
 had brought from the tomb him whom he had buried 
 alive in it. He, too, had followed Jenny Hawkins's 
 eyes, and had seen the formidable visitor. 
 
 Passing one hand over his forehead, he took a step 
 backward as tho about to flee ; but suddenly he saw 
 Tragomer and Marenval, who were watching him. 
 He had sufficient strength to think: I am ruining 
 myself; a little determination and I will escape this 
 danger. What can they do to me? And I can do 
 everything against him ! . . . Just then the stranger 
 nodded to Tragomer, who arose to meet him, and 
 both of them, crossing the salon, drew near the 
 piano. There were standing Miss Maud and Jenny 
 Hawkins. Toward which of the two were they 
 walking in that tranquil fashion? Was it toward the 
 mistress of the house, to pay her their respects, or 
 toward the singer, to ruin her? 
 
 Seeing these two men approaching, Jenny Haw- 
 kins gave a slight moan. Her heart seemed to cease 
 beating and the light to vanish from her eyes. She 
 was no longer looking, and her ears heard none but 
 vague, uncertain sounds. She, however, heard, tho 
 confusedly, Tragomer saying : 
 
 " Miss Maud, allow me to introduce to you a friend 
 of mine. Sir Herbert Carlton! ..." 
 
 At these words a feeling of delightful relief came 
 338 
 
CORNERED 
 
 over Jenny Hawkins. A flash of hope brought back 
 the light of intelligence to her brain. She had again 
 begun to think, to understand. Had she not been 
 the sport of an illusion? How could this young man, 
 whose name was Herbert Carlton, be Jacques de Fre- 
 neuse? Might it not be a case of an extraordinary 
 and terrible resemblance? She had almost died, still 
 she dared not look at the newcomer standing there 
 two steps away. Turning her eyes toward Sorfege, 
 she saw with terror that he was as agitated as she. 
 
 In the anguish depicted on his countenance, she 
 had a presentiment of an imminent disaster. Then 
 he, too, believed that their victim might have escaped 
 in spite of all the precautions taken and infamous 
 crimes committed. He did not admit that the pre- 
 tended Herbert Carlton could be any other than 
 Jacques de Freneuse. She was in such suffering 
 through curiosity that she resolved, at the risk of 
 ruin, to see the man again, look down into the depths 
 of his heart, and discover his inmost thoughts. Rais- 
 ing her eyes she looked. 
 
 Within reach of her hand, still paler through 
 pent-up emotion, she recognized Jacques by the side 
 of Tragomer, standing there grave and attentive. 
 It was indeed Jacqties. He acknowledged this by 
 the look she knew so well, the movement of the lips 
 she had loved, and by the accustomed perfume that 
 reached her. This time a shiver ran over her; she 
 was now resigned, awaiting her sentence. She no 
 longer offered any resistance to fate. A superior 
 force came into play, and after so many struggles, 
 flights, and tears she retired within herself, and pas- 
 
 339 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 sively, like the hunted animal caught in the toils, 
 offered her throat to the death-blow. 
 
 Suddenly, Jacques spoke, and this time all error 
 was out of the question. 
 
 " I am doubly thankful to Monsieur de Tragomer 
 for having honored me by an introduction to your- 
 self, Miss Harvey, and given me the pleasure of 
 hearing so great an artiste as Miss Hawkins." 
 
 " You live in London, Sir Carlton? " asked Maud. 
 
 " I have been here only a week. Reverses of for- 
 tune have compelled me to live in the country. 
 There I was alone, forsaken and unhappy. But my 
 friends remembered me and led me out of my desert. 
 Accordingly you may imagine the joy and gratitude 
 I feel this evening, Miss Harvey." 
 
 The voice was so sad, so soft and tender, that Jen- 
 ny Hawkins shuddered with grief. But she had no 
 time to give way to this emotion. With a boldness 
 which seemed as tho it would crush all obstacles, 
 Sorbge flung himself into the mel^e and took the 
 offensive. 
 
 "You sang divinely. Miss Hawkins," said he, with 
 a haughty glance at his opponents, " and I can well 
 understand how happy you must be. ... " 
 
 He seemed to be soliciting an introduction, and 
 Miss Maud deferred to his desire. 
 
 "Sir Herbert Carlton, a friend of M. de Trago- 
 mer." 
 
 "I thought so," said Sorfege, with superb irony. 
 " But will not Miss Hawkins do us the further pleas- 
 ure of singing the second couplet of this exquisite 
 melody? " 
 
 340 
 
CORNERED 
 
 "May I beg you to do so, Miss Hawkins?" asked 
 Jacques. 
 
 The singer had listened tremblingly to this rapid 
 conversation, and had passed from fear to hope and 
 from hope to despair with a rapidity calculated to 
 break the strongest will. However, she still strug- 
 gled. As she stood there in her white toilette, none 
 of those watching her could have suspected the fear- 
 ful tempest raging in her heart. There stood a 
 group in the middle of the room, consisting of three 
 men and two women, speaking to one another with 
 perfect ease and breeding. All were a prey to either 
 terror or anger. Their actions were gentle and easy, 
 the words they spoke graceful and harmonious. 
 Their hearts were full of hatred and their tongues 
 could with difficulty refrain from expressions of in- 
 sult and provocation. 
 
 " I will sing if you wish me to do so," said Jenny 
 Hawkins. 
 
 " Gentlemen, regain your seats. " 
 
 And Miss Maud, according to the promise she had 
 made Tragomer, drawing up a chair, took up a posi- 
 tion close to the singer. Tragomer, Sorfege, and 
 Jacques, as tho by one accord, returned toward the 
 door leading into the conservatory. They entered, 
 and there, without the slightest hesitation, but with 
 a boldness which stupefied his two interlocutors, 
 Sorfege said: 
 
 "What is the meaning of this comedy, Jacques? 
 Why are you here under an assumed name, and pre- 
 tending not to know me? Why all this mistrust? 
 Have you doubts as to the joy I should feel on see- 
 
 341 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 ing you again, and why did you trust yourself to 
 Tragomer rather than to me, since your arrival 
 here? " 
 
 The situation was now free from all ambiguity. 
 Sorfege was acting an audacious part, but Jacques 
 could no longer be his dupe. He knew him now, 
 and replied at once : 
 
 " I am here under an assumed name, Sor^ge, be- 
 cause I am an unhappy victim who can no longer 
 live under his own. I have no confidence in you, as 
 I am not certain you did not contribute to my ruin, 
 and are not ready to betray me." 
 
 "I," exclaimed Sor^ge, "your friend from child- 
 hood, who bewailed your misfortune as tho it were 
 my own! " 
 
 " And who continued to make no attempt to re- 
 pair it," interrupted Jacques, roughly. " How long, 
 Sorfege, have you known that Jenny Hawkins is the 
 same woman as L6a P6relli? " 
 
 He looked him straight in the face ; the other met 
 his gaze unflinchingly. 
 
 "Are you mad? What! This American? h6a 
 Pirelli ! Alas ! You know well enough she is dead ! 
 You are the victim of a resemblance which struck 
 me, I confess. Oh ! I am well aware there is an ex- 
 traordinary similarity of features ! . . . ." 
 
 He was interrupted by Tragomer, who laid his 
 hand on his arm and said sadly, for he saw Sorbge 
 was lost : 
 
 " Do not lie, Sorfege ; you are well aware you ac- 
 knowledged to me that Jenny Hawkins was Jeanne 
 Baud. ... It is only complete frankness which will 
 
 342 
 
CORNERED 
 
 extricate you from this scrape. If you have made 
 a mistake, explain it fully. Perhaps Jacques might 
 prove indulgent. But make no further attempt to 
 deny facts, for that is useless. Every step you take 
 now in that direction will be the more certain to lead 
 to your ruin. ..." 
 
 " Lead to my ruin ! " interrupted Sorfege violently, 
 " what a strange reversing of rdles ! I ! Punished ! 
 I, who have done nothing with which to reproach 
 myself! ..." 
 
 "While I, you infer," added Jacques, with a bit- 
 ter laugh, " have been convicted of a crime ! Yes, 
 Sorfege, you are right, if I am guilty, you are inno- 
 cent! " 
 
 " Jacques ! Can it be possible ! You accuse me, 
 you suspect me! Of what crime? " 
 
 " I will tell you, as you have the audacity to ask 
 me, seeing that you did not disappear on seeing me, 
 to free yourself of your ; responsibility and since, 
 in opposition to all evidence, you still maintain the 
 struggle. I accuse you of having known that L6a 
 was alive from the very first, when I was being con- 
 demned for having killed her. I accuse you of hav- 
 ing come before the Assize Court on oath, and there 
 made a false deposition, which is a crime for any hon- 
 est man, but which, for you, Sorfege, my friend, my 
 brother, as you said just now, is the basest and most 
 cowardly action one could commit. This is what I 
 accuse you of, since you insist on knowing it. " 
 
 Sorfege had borne this terrible apostrophe with the 
 utmost firmness. He was not listening, he had no 
 need to listen, as he knew beforehand what Jacques 
 
 343 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 was about to say. He tried to gain time, to reflect. 
 He thought: Jacques knows that h6a. is alive, he 
 knows that she substituted herself for Jeanne Baud. 
 But does he know that it is Jeanne Baud who is 
 dead? Everything lies there. If he is still in the 
 dark on this point, there is nothing lost. L6a is liv- 
 ing, but it is not a crime to live. And I may only 
 have learned of her existence later on. That is my 
 plan. And with wonderful rapidity it passed from 
 conception to execution. 
 
 " Madness ! Utter madness ! " he exclaimed. " You 
 have been deceived by false appearances. The rea- 
 son I said nothing at the trial was that I knew noth- 
 ing. You have recognized L6a Pirelli in Jenny 
 Hawkins. Tragomer, too, has recognized her. But 
 I have been her dupe longer than you, and it was 
 only at the end of my voyage, when Tragomer met 
 me at San Francisco, that I had succeeded in discov- 
 ering the identity of the singer. I too have been 
 deceived, as you have! " 
 
 He continued to think all the time he was speak- 
 ing. With the dexterity of a skilful weaver he 
 crossed in and out the threads of his intrigue. I 
 must leave here indemnified, and see L^a before 
 they do. If I can obtain a quarter of an hour's con- 
 versation with her, I will let her understand that 
 she must fly. Once out of the way, I am saved. 
 
 " You !" resumed Jacques. "You, deceived? No, 
 Sorfege, you have never been the dupe of any one. 
 For some reason I am ignorant of, it was to your in- 
 terest to say nothing. For I am not going so far as 
 I could, you understand, and I still see in you noth- 
 
 344 
 
CORNERED 
 
 ing but a faithless friend who has abandoned instead 
 of helped me. But if, to your misfortune, you have 
 been an accomplice. ..." 
 
 Jacques's countenance assumed a terrible expres- 
 sion. He rose, resolute and menacing in appear- 
 ance, and looked down at Sorfege, standing there 
 with bowed head and hesitating mien. 
 
 " If you have been an accomplice, you must pay 
 me for all the torture I have endured through you ; 
 the prayers of my despairing sister ; the tears of my 
 poor mother; whose position has been ruined 
 through you. ..." 
 
 " No more threats ! I have been too patient ! 
 Your mother and sister have wept over your own 
 follies, and you alone are responsible. If you have 
 suffered, the reason is that you have committed un- 
 pardonable offenses. Cease laying the responsibility 
 on others. Has the bagnio accomplished a miracle, 
 and converted a vice-stained wretch into a saint? 
 Because you have been condemned, have you thus 
 obtained the right to judge others? Let us no longer 
 lose common sense. There is here an honest man, 
 shamefully treated, but you are not that man ! You 
 pretend you have the right to take vengeance on me. 
 I reply that you are mad, and I will prove it, if you 
 force me to do so. Take my advice, be prudent, do 
 not misuse the good fortune you have had in esca- 
 ping. Noisy anger does not suit everybody. It 
 would be preferable for you to live quietly under the 
 English name you have adopted this evening, rather 
 than attract to yourself a degree of attention which 
 might become dangerous. You have repulsed me, 
 
 345 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Jacques, and I was disposed to help you. Now I am 
 free of every obligation toward you. Adieu! " 
 
 He took three steps in the direction of the salon, 
 and was stretching out his hand to turn the knob 
 of the door when it opened of itself. Marenval 
 and Vesin entered the conservatory; a breath of 
 perfumed air and a murmur of applause came to 
 them. It was Jenny Hawkins, who was ending her 
 song. 
 
 "Shut the door, Marenval, please," said Trago- 
 mer coldly. " M. de Sorfege would like to take leave 
 of us in too audacious a manner. He imagines us 
 far simpler than we are." 
 
 " Do you wish me to break through? " exclaimed 
 Sorfege. 
 
 " To break through ! What a violent expression ! 
 No ; but we intend to continue our conversation in 
 the presence of M. de Vesin, attorney-general at the 
 Paris law courts. Oh ! do not be alarmed. He is 
 taking a holiday in London, and is no magistrate on 
 this occasion, but simply a tourist . . . and our dear 
 Marenval, whom you are well acquainted with. The 
 more witnesses there are of what we have already 
 said, and of what we have made up our minds to say 
 still, the better it will be. Contrary to what you 
 advised just now, we are determined to make as 
 much noise as possible. Nor will Jacques, to please 
 you, become Sir Herbert Carlton forever, to make 
 a counterpart to Jenny Hawkins. No, Sorfege, we 
 do not intend to be your dupes any longer. That 
 time is gone ; we understand you now thoroughly. 
 When Jacques has had an hour's conversation with 
 
 346 
 
CORNERED 
 
 L6a Pirelli, rest assured he will be in a position to 
 confound you and rehabilitate himself. " 
 
 Sorfege made so threatening a gesture that Tra- 
 gomer flung himself in front of Jacques. Around 
 him were four men, and all hope of escaping them 
 seemed lost. 
 
 " You scoundrels ! " he exclaimed. " You take 
 advantage of strength and of numbers to restrain 
 me. . . ." 
 
 "Come, sir," said Marenval, "you are jesting. 
 You call it being restrained to be here in a delight- 
 ful conservatory, in the company of gentlemen. 
 Besides, if you like, we will call Miss Maud 
 Harvey, and beg her to keep you company, until 
 Miss Hawkins has gone, and our friend Fr^neuse 
 after her. As soon as this double exit is effected, 
 you shall have full liberty to return to the salons, 
 and take supper with your future father-in-law's 
 guests. Do not be obstinate, let everything be done 
 in correct style." 
 
 Sorfege reflected : If I can be free in an hour, per- 
 haps no irreparable harm will be done. Accord- 
 ingly he said: 
 
 " I have nothing to fear, you will do as you please. 
 I have no intention to stir from here, but you have 
 insulted me and offered me violence, and I rely upon 
 your granting me satisfaction, if any honorable man 
 among you has also a little courage. " 
 
 He looked disdainfully at Frdneuse as he spoke 
 thus, and seemed to be challenging Tragomer. 
 
 "Take care, Sovhge," exclaimed Jacques, "do not 
 be too exacting this evening, for to-morrow, per- 
 
 347 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 haps, so little honor will be left you that it would 
 be a charity to accept your challenge." 
 
 He exchanged a final look with his enemy, and, 
 with a bow to Vesin, left the conservatory. In the 
 midst of her admirers Jenny Hawkins, with a smile 
 on her lips, was standing in the middle of the salon. 
 She saw Jacques approach her, and shuddered at the 
 sight, but made no movement. Her arms fell by 
 her side as tho broken, and her fan between her 
 trembling fingers shook like a wounded butterfly. 
 Jacques came nearer, his look stern and imperious. 
 Crossing the different groups, he succeeded in iso- 
 lating Miss Harvey and the singer from the rest. 
 He began by uttering a few commonplace expres- 
 sions of congratulation, then, certain of being heard 
 by herself alone, said : 
 
 " You will return home and wait for me. In half 
 an hour I will call. Give orders for me to be re- 
 ceived." 
 
 Bowing her head, she replied: 
 
 " I will obey you. " 
 
 "Very well." 
 
 Stepping aside, and with a smile to Miss Harvey, 
 he said aloud: 
 
 " You have given us a rare treat this evening, and 
 Miss Hawkins has sung divinely. " 
 
 348 
 
Chapter V 
 
 A CONFESSION 
 
 Miss Jenny Hawkins had returned to her apart- 
 ment in Tavistock Street. Standing in the middle 
 of the salon, which was lit by two lamps on the man- 
 telpiece, she had just dismissed her maid, saying she 
 would disrobe herself alone, and was awaiting in the 
 silence the arrival of her dreaded visitor. A sound 
 of heels was heard at this late hour in the solitary 
 street, a rapid step on the stairs, a quick ring at the 
 bell, and, crossing the dark corridor, she opened the 
 door herself. Through the half-opened drawing- 
 room door came a light which enabled her to recog- 
 nize Jacques in spite of his hat, which was lowered 
 over his eyes, and the collar of his overcoat rising 
 to his mouth. 
 
 He entered very suddenly, passed in front of her, 
 came to a halt in the well-lit salon without even 
 turning round to see whether or not she was follow- 
 ing him, removed his hat and overcoat, then, lean- 
 ing against the mantelpiece, he looked fixedly at her 
 who possessed the secret on which depended his 
 safety. She, agitated, but more beautiful than ever 
 in her anxiety, her splendid bust sparkling in the 
 light, waited with bowed head till he should speak. 
 In tones of terrible irony he began : 
 
 349 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " The dead are capable of returning to life, L^a, 
 since here you are alive, before me, after I have 
 been condemned for having killed you. You im- 
 agined yourself well rid of the unhappy Jacques, did 
 you not? And you slept in tranquil ease, knowing 
 I was in a safer tomb than yours. For all that I am 
 out of it, and have now come to ask for payment for 
 all I have suffered. " 
 
 With a shake of the head she replied, in dull 
 tones : 
 
 " Have you been the only one to suffer? Is the 
 responsibility of what you have suffered another's 
 or your own? Can you possibly have forgotten 
 what you have done? Are you sure you have the 
 right to accuse me so bitterly? When one suffers 
 two years pass slowly, and one has time to reflect. 
 Have you examined your own conduct while judg- 
 ing that of others? " 
 
 " Wretched woman ! You bring back to my mind 
 the saddest hours of my existence, when in the quiet 
 and silence of the bagnio I almost went mad in 
 trying to discover the cause of my misfortune. 
 Could I judge what I had no means of understand- 
 ing? I was ignorant of everything in my fate. To 
 me my condemnation was an inexplicable enigma. 
 However grave my mistakes had been, they could 
 not suffice to justify the excess of my misery. How 
 ever could I have succeeded in establishing respon- 
 sibilities? Gloom had been so cleverly cast around 
 me that nothing could have enlightened me ! hia. 
 Pirelli dead! Why? How? By whose hand? I was 
 utterly lost in the chaos of my conjectures. Judges, 
 
 350 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 lawyers, jury, none could have seen what it was ma- 
 terially impossible to suspect: an infamous snare, 
 in which an innocent man had been caught, and 
 while he was struggling in it, mad with grief and 
 ignorance, the pretended victim was in flight, ma- 
 king sport of justice deceived and innocence tortured, 
 and congratulating herself with her accomplice that 
 the affair had passed off so well and come to so for- 
 tunate a conclusion. And I, utterly in the dark; 
 bandied about by the judges, who looked upon me 
 as a hardened villain when they heard me deny 
 desperately before the lawyers, who considered me 
 stupid, as they saw I was silent when I ought to 
 have defended myself; a laughing-stock to the 
 police, and an object of horror to the populace, 
 dragged down into the mud by moralizing journals, 
 ready to lose my reason and actually believe I had 
 committed the crime ! Yes, I went from jail to the 
 bagnio at Noumea, to live among bandits under a 
 blazing tropical sun. That was my fate, that of the 
 most pitiable of human beings. And for what rea- 
 son? . . . For having been so ill-fated as to love a 
 savage creature, who made a mockery of my suffer- 
 ings and congratulated herself on my downfall! " 
 
 L6a raised her arm, and looking at Jacques for the 
 first time with terror-stricken eyes, she said : 
 
 " No ; not for having had the misfortune to love 
 her, but the depravity to betray her ! " 
 
 At these words, the first ray of light in the ob- 
 scurity with which he had been enveloped for two 
 years, Jacques gave a leap, and with all his attention 
 strained to penetrate the mystery, he said: 
 
 351 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "Ah! you wretch! Then you confess at last. 
 You wished to avenge yourself? " 
 
 "Yes," said L6a sternly; "I wished to do so, but 
 you had driven me to it. Chance, however, has 
 played the greater part of what happened. " 
 
 "Then I shall know at last!" exclaimed Jacques 
 in a kind of delirium. " I hold you here accused, 
 woman, and you shall speak, do you hear, tho I have 
 to tear your secret with my nails from your very 
 heart! Oh! I shall be without pity as you have 
 been. Do not hope for any pardon. You shall tell 
 everything, or upon my honor I will kill you, and 
 this time you will not rise again ! " 
 
 He raised himself to his full height, and his coun- 
 tenance expressed an invincible resolution. But 
 Lea appeared to become calmer in proportion as he 
 became more violent. She sat down by his side and 
 said gently: 
 
 " It is useless to threaten me. I have made up my 
 mind to speak. If you had not come to me, and I 
 had known you were in London, I would have found 
 you myself. Too long has this secret been weigh- 
 ing on my conscience, too long have I been tortured 
 by remorse. You speak of what you have suffered ; 
 now you shall hear of my sufferings, and then you 
 may compare. Perhaps your slavery was no more 
 bitter than my freedom. You had, at any rate, the 
 right to bewail and curse, while I was obliged to 
 shine and charm, and bury my grief in my own 
 heart. I am not the only one who is guilty, but I 
 think I am the only one to offer any expiation of my 
 crime." 
 
 358 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 " Then you had accomplices? " asked Jacques. 
 
 "One only." 
 
 "Sorfege?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " The wretch ! Why did he ruin me? " 
 
 " Because he loved me." 
 
 Jacques stood there, motionless and silent, scarcely 
 breathing, so oppressed was he by the anguish of that 
 solemn moment. Finally he added: 
 
 " But you, L6a, why did you lend yourself to his 
 infamy? Why did you help to bring about my down- 
 fall? " 
 
 She replied, in fierce, desperate tones : 
 
 " Because I loved you ! " 
 
 "And yet you condemned me to torture worse 
 than death? Then who was the murdered woman, 
 and what had she done to you? " 
 
 "What you had done yourself. She shamefully 
 betrayed me, was about to leave Paris with you, in- 
 sulted me with her triumph, and scoffed at my jeal- 
 ousy. In short, she dared me to do my worst ! " 
 
 Jacques shuddered, now he understood ; in terrified 
 tones he asked : 
 
 " Was it Jeanne Baud? " 
 
 "Yes, it was Jeanne Baud." 
 
 " Then who killed her? " 
 
 She proudly raised her head, and in a shriek of 
 passion replied : 
 
 "I did!" 
 
 "You, L6a, wretched woman! In what way?" 
 
 "You shall know all!" 
 
 Silence followed, broken only by L^a's panting 
 23 353 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 respiration. The varied sounds of the sleeping city 
 gradually died away ; a few carriages alone could be 
 dimly heard in the distance. Jacques sank, gloomy 
 and exhausted, on to the sofa, and sure of now learn- 
 ing what he had so long wished to know, he quietly 
 prepared to listen. The woman, leaning toward 
 him, her face clouded with violent emotion, her 
 elbows resting on her knees, balancing her body 
 with an unconscious movement, began to speak in 
 broken accents: 
 
 " You know how much I loved you, what an ex- 
 clusive passion I felt for you. For two years you 
 had been my very life. I subordinated everything — 
 my habits, tastes, whims — to your fancy, and never 
 was king more flattered and caressed by a favorite, 
 who had everything to hope for from him, than you 
 were by me who had nothing to expect from you. I 
 was not venal ; I never asked you for money. I have 
 lived in your life, and if you squandered your for- 
 tune, do me the justice to acknowledge that I did 
 not encourage you in this, and had nothing to do 
 with it. You loved me, too, and revealed to me the 
 meaning of the word. I attached myself ardently 
 to you. You introduced your friends to me, and 
 appeared proud of the admiration I inspired. You 
 were not jealous — how indeed could you be? for you 
 knew I was yours alone, and that no other man 
 could exist for me. All the companions of your dis- 
 sipated life made love to me ; I may say all except 
 Tragomer, who mistrusted me. You knew this from 
 all except one ; this one I had judged from the first 
 day I saw him, and he inspired me with fear. ..." 
 
 354 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 " Scrfege? " asked Jacques. 
 
 "Sorfege," repeated L^a. "He was not an insig- 
 nificant profligate like the rest, but impressed me by 
 the originality of his attitude and his biting, cynical 
 language. It was not possible to pass him by un- 
 noticed, and when once one had met him, he must 
 be remembered, if only to be hated. He inspired 
 me with fear alone. Approaching me in crafty, cun- 
 ning ways, he found means to express to me his 
 sentiments without compromising himself by any 
 clearly expressed confession. He knew how to 
 guard against a revelation, and had I thought of 
 complaining, he might have laid me under the 
 necessity of repeating what he had said without it be- 
 ing possible for me to find any plausible ground of 
 complaint. I dared not jest with you about his con- 
 duct, as I had done concerning the rest. I spoke to 
 him with disdain and scorn, and my words must have 
 made him suffer terribly ; for I saw him lose his tem- 
 per for the first time. He turned pale, and with 
 frightful threats swore that, even tho he were to kill 
 you, he would make me yield to his will. For, he 
 added, he was well aware that the passion I had for 
 you was the obstacle in his way." 
 
 "Coward!" exclaimed Jacques, the lines of his 
 face contracted with fury. " Why did you not tell 
 me?" 
 
 " Because you were beginning to detach yourself 
 from me. I perceived it, and he lost no opportunity 
 of proving it to me. He played the part of lago 
 with atrocious skill. Only it was Desdemona he 
 was murdering with his poisoned confidences. 
 
 355 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Everything concerning your business or pleasure 
 you revealed to him in your ill-placed faith he re- 
 peated to me. I ought to have driven him away, 
 for he tortured me. But I was eager to know, and 
 lent a ready ear to his information, thinking I might 
 make use of it to keep you the more easily to my- 
 self. All the same, he smiled, the wretch, and cyn- 
 ically counted the days of my remaining happi- 
 ness. Our interviews were nothing but torrents of 
 insults. I cursed him, and he grossly insulted me, 
 and we took leave of each other every time more 
 exasperated than ever. That was the time when 
 everything was going on badly with you, debts ac- 
 cumulating and creditors becoming pressing. And 
 you, madder than ever, infatuated with gambling, 
 passing your nights at the club and your days at 
 the races, completely neglected me. I was aban- 
 doned by the one I adored, hounded down by the 
 man I hated, helpless and without defense, given up 
 to the violent impulses of my exasperated mind. 
 There was danger for me in everything. Just at 
 that period I made the acquaintance of Jeanne 
 Baud. She wished to enter upon an Italian career, 
 and asked me to help to improve her faulty pronun- 
 ciation. I was without occupation, passing a useless, 
 wearied life, and I imagined it would be a distraction 
 for me to give advice to this charming artiste. As 
 an exception, I, who had never received any friend 
 of my own sex, allowed her access to my home. 
 You remember her, do you not? Youthful, gay, and 
 smiling, careless of everything and passionately fond 
 of pleasure. Never had I had any lady friends, ex- 
 
 356 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 cept in high society in Italy. Jeanne's vivacious 
 effusions appeared to me strange, but she was so at- 
 tentive that I imputed everything to friendship. I 
 was unhappy ; in this interesting girl I had an ever- 
 present companion, who filled up the void of my ex- 
 istence. I became tenderly attached to her. One 
 evening, we were both returning from the opera; 
 she accompanied me home, and I learned what was 
 passing in her mind. I was expecting you ; we had 
 both finished supper, when a knock came to the 
 door. 
 
 " ' It is Jacques ! ' I exclaimed. ' He has forgotten 
 his key. Wait here and I will open the door for 
 him.' 
 
 " Reaching the vestibule, I asked, before opening 
 the door: 
 
 " ' Jacques, is it you? ' 
 
 " Sorfege's voice answered: 
 
 " ' No, it is I. May I have a word with you? I 
 will not stay a minute. ' 
 
 " I felt greatly inclined to dismiss him, but Jeanne's 
 presence reassured me. I had nothing to fear, so I 
 opened the door. He entered the salon without sus- 
 pecting that I was not alone. Then he said imme- 
 diately, without taking a seat : 
 
 " ' Are you waiting for Jacques? He will not 
 come. ' 
 
 " ' Why not? ' 
 
 " ' Because he has gone elsewhere. ' 
 
 "'To the club?' 
 
 " ' No, he has just left the club. ' 
 
 " He laughed as he spoke thus, the monster, well 
 357 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 knowing what pain he was causing me. I turned 
 pale ; he noticed it and said : 
 
 " ' Look at yourself, L6a, see how excited you are ! 
 The thought of Jacques will kill you, if you do not 
 make up your mind to leave him. ' 
 
 " He insulted me abominably, and in the midst 
 of the scene the drawing-room door opened, and 
 Jeanne appeared. 
 
 " The effect was instantaneous. Without uttering 
 a word, but casting on both of us a look of exasper- 
 ated hate, he left the room. I, with nerves un- 
 strung and beating heart, burst into sobs. Jeanne 
 sank upon her knees and tried to console me. My 
 tears flowed unceasingly ; and she kissed them away. 
 I listened to her in a stupid, dazed fashion, with the 
 feeling how pleasant it was to be loved, and that the 
 sweetness of the caresses I was receiving was in- 
 finitely better than the despairing state I had been 
 passing through. I experienced how agreeable it 
 was to have a devoted heart to whom I could tell all 
 my troubles. During the months that followed I 
 loved her perhaps more passionately than ever. At 
 the mere thought that she might leave me I was 
 ready to meet death itself. You remember the end 
 of that terrible period, when you spent both days 
 and nights in gambling, as tho you were bent on 
 giving up everything: fortune, life, even honor it- 
 self. Sorfege kept me au courant with every phase 
 of the struggle. A kind of dull stupor seemed to 
 have come over me. At that time I was not in full 
 possession of my reason. My nerves were over- 
 strung, and I lived without moral equilibrium, and 
 
 358 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 at the mercy of despair or anger. I saw you come 
 to me maddened with grief, after losing all you 
 had, and under the obligation of paying to the club 
 a large sum under penalty of expulsion. I gave you 
 my jewels to pledge ; I would have given you my life 
 had you asked me to do so. It was then, do you un- 
 derstand, that the frightful catastrophe happened, 
 which, depriving me of all self-control, brought 
 about all my troubles. " 
 
 Her voice, hoarse with the emotion caused by the 
 recollection of these terrible memories, L6a stopped 
 a moment. Jacques, impassive, no longer inter- 
 rupted her, fascinated as he was by the thrilling 
 intensity of the story. Not a sigh had he given ; he 
 was utterly remorseless; for he, at any rate, had 
 atoned for his faults and so he reserved his pity for 
 himself. He would have liked to hasten on L6a's 
 fevered eloquence as she recited the tragic plot. 
 What mattered it to him what she was telling of 
 Sorfege, or Jeanne, or of herself? What he was 
 anxious to know was how he had been ruined, and 
 in what way his honor might be restored. Lea 
 passed her lace handkerchief ever her moist brow, 
 and, attempting to calm the tempest beating within 
 her breast, continued: 
 
 " Then something unexpected and monstrous hap- 
 pened. The day following the one on which I gave 
 you all I possessed, about four o'clock, I received a 
 visit from Sorfege. He had a dull, gloomy look, as 
 tho he were troubled by some serious event. Sitting 
 down, he looked at me in silence with an expression 
 of pity which I had never seen in him before. Fi- 
 
 359 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 nally he spoke, and at his very first words a shriek 
 of rage and madness burst from me. He told me 
 that you had no longer any hope of regaining your 
 former position in Paris, and that you had made up 
 your mind to leave for London with Jeanne Baud, 
 who had just signed an agreement there without 
 my knowledge. Altho accustomed to my bursts of 
 passion, Sorfege appeared to be afraid. With his 
 treacherous good-nature he tried to calm me : 
 
 " ' I had told you that the hour would come when 
 I would prove to you the sincerity of my friendship. 
 You see how devoid of all conscience Jacques is, and 
 how ungrateful is Jeanne. Both are insulting and 
 betraying you. Will you hesitate to be the first to 
 break with Jacques, and drive away this vile, worth- 
 less woman toward whom you have shown too much 
 kindness? ' 
 
 " I protested, and defended you. 
 
 " ' How can you prove that you are not deceiving 
 me? To gain your own ends you are capable of any- 
 thing. How could I have had no inkling of their in- 
 timacy? Is it not too much to your interest to lie, for 
 you to imagine that I can believe you so easily? ' 
 
 " ' There is no need to discuss the matter, ' he said 
 coldly. ' You see, I bring no charge against them. 
 What is the use? They are quite sufficiently mad 
 and guilty. Learn, then, that it is from Jacques 
 himself that I have heard these details. Judge 
 whether or not they are correct. Jeanne, who lives 
 in furnished rooms, gave notice last week. Her 
 trunks have been packed since yesterday, and she 
 is on the point of taking them to the baggage-room 
 
 360 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 of the Gare du Nord. She is to cross via Boulogne 
 and Folkestone; he will go by another route, and 
 they will meet on the way. Is that clear? ' 
 
 " He spoke so calmly that I no longer tried to dis- 
 cuss it. No further doubt was possible. The truth 
 was crushing me and a feeling of mad rage was be- 
 ginning to fill my heart. I shrieked with passion, in 
 that small salon, where I had passed so many happy 
 hours, now that I saw myself doubly betrayed. For 
 I was losing everything at a blow. Sor^ge, impas- 
 sive, without offering me any encouragement, as tho 
 his triumph depended on the excess of my pain and 
 grief, listened to me in silence. At last he said: 
 
 " ' Is not Jeanne to see you before she leaves? ' 
 
 " ' I am expecting her every minute. I have given 
 my servants a holiday and was intending to dine with 
 her. She will not come ; she will not have the im- 
 pudence to do so! ' 
 
 " ' Ha ! ha ! ' sneered Sorfege. ' It is a great, a de- 
 licious joy to be present at a mystification one has 
 prepared, and to rail at the stupid confidence dis- 
 played by the victim of one's treachery! I should 
 not be in the least surprised if she came to kiss you 
 for the last time before running off with Jacques ! ' 
 
 " ' Curse her ! ' I exclaimed. 
 
 " ' But what can you do to her? ' said Sorege with 
 a laugh. ' You can not tear out her eyes or do any- 
 thing so vulgar. ' 
 
 " I made no reply ; sinister ideas passed through 
 my troubled brain, and I felt myself carried away 
 by a thirst for murder. Sorfege said to me : 
 
 " ' I am very sorry I have spoken to you of this. 
 361 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 You look as tho inclined to do something rash and 
 foolish. Come, calm yourself. I will call and see 
 how you are after dinner. I hope I shall find you 
 in a more reasonable frame of mind. ' 
 
 " He left me alone. I lay there on a sofa, my 
 head buried in the cushions, carefully going over 
 again, suffering keenly all the while, the venom this 
 monster had instilled into my mind, for he had 
 arranged everything — of this I had a firm convic- 
 tion afterward — to drive me to commit an act of 
 utter madness. A knock at the door roused me from 
 my torpor and brought me to my feet. I looked at 
 the clock; it was seven. I opened the door, and 
 Jeanne entered in high spirits, kissed me in the 
 semi-obscurity of the vestibule, humming an air as 
 she followed me into the salon, where she stood 
 transfixed with wonder at seeing how pale and ex- 
 cited I was. 
 
 " ' What is the matter with you? ' she exclaimed, 
 uneasy at my silence. 
 
 " Meanwhile I was examining her, and saw that 
 she had on her traveling-gown and her round hat, 
 and was carrying a leather satchel. The certainty 
 that Sor^ge had told the truth came to me with ter- 
 rific force. Before so much duplicity I regained 
 my sang-froid, and replied calmly, almost in tired 
 accents : 
 
 " ' I have a headache ; you see I am in my dressing- 
 gown. If you like we will not go out to dinner to- 
 night. I have sufficient here to make a good meal. 
 We will stay quietly by the fireside, and you shall 
 keep me company as long as you like. ' 
 
 362 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 " Usually, Jeanne gave a joyful assent to such a 
 proposal. Now she appeared cold, and a shadow 
 came over her eyes : 
 
 " ' I will dine with you certainly, and with pleas- 
 ure, as I had promised. But I can not spend the 
 evening with you. I have a rendezvous with Cam- 
 pistron, mj' singing-professor, on an important mat- 
 ter. I must leave at nine o'clock. ' 
 
 " Her hypocrisy exasperated me, and I said with 
 ironical look : 
 
 " ' Are you certain that you are going to your sing- 
 ing-professor? ' 
 
 " My attitude and the tone of my voice caused her 
 a sudden agitation. Drawing back a step, she stam- 
 mered out : 
 
 " ' What are you asking me? Why should I tell 
 you a lie? ' 
 
 " I walked up to her until I was almost touching 
 her, then I said: 
 
 " ' Because you have already deceived me and are 
 deceiving me again; because you are a worthless 
 creature, who, not content with robbing me of your 
 affection, have also robbed me of Jacques's love ! ' 
 
 " She blushed, and, her teeth clenched with fear 
 and anger, said: 
 
 " ' Who has told you this? ' 
 
 " ' I know it. ' 
 
 " 'It is false." 
 
 " ' False ! You are leaving with him for England, 
 taking him from me, when you know I can not live 
 without him. You are killing me, you. ..." 
 
 " I was choking, losing all self-control, as I stood 
 363 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 there stunned before her, unable to say a word. 
 Thinking me to be powerless and crushed, she re- 
 gained courage, and with an insolent laugh said : 
 
 " ' Ah ! you were too fond of me to care very much 
 for him! ' 
 
 " Thus braving me, she wounded me in my most 
 sensitive spot. Drawing back a step, and finding no 
 word sufficiently strong to hurl at her, I struck her 
 in the face with all my might. She gave a dull 
 moan, turned livid, and with flashing eyes turned 
 upon me. I felt her hands twine around my neck, 
 and I lost my breath. In self-defense I thrust my 
 knee against her breast, trying to throw her down. 
 We struggled in this way, without a single cry, 
 breathing hatred and murder. A mist began to ap- 
 pear before my eyes. Seizing her by the throat, I 
 squeezed with such violence that my nails entered 
 the flesh. Suddenly she ceased fighting and fell on 
 the carpet. I flung myself on her like a Fury. 
 There only survived in me the instinct of the brute 
 which must kill in order to live. After a moment I 
 tired of my efforts, and as she offered no further re- 
 sistance, stretched there motionless, I stood upright, 
 and with haggard eyes looked at her. There she 
 lay, her face purple with the blows I had dealt, her 
 eyeballs turned up, her mouth still preserving that 
 horrible and threatening grimace. I stepped back ; 
 as reason returned, a horrible feeling of dread took 
 possession of me. A shudder came over me as I 
 saw that motionless body, and seizing it I tried to 
 raise it, but it appeared heavy and inert in my arms. 
 I shouted out ' Jeanne, ' but she made no reply. 
 
 364 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 Wishing to make an attempt to bring her back to 
 life, I was about to call for help, but prudence 
 stopped me. I felt her heart, applied my ear to her 
 breast, and drew back in dismay! There was not 
 the slightest beating. She was dead ! A feeling of 
 terrible despair took possession of me. Was it pos- 
 sible that I had become a criminal? Doubtless, she 
 had betrayed and insulted as well as struck me! 
 But I had killed her! And now, what would be- 
 come of me? All the consequences of my action 
 immediately presented themselves to my mind. I 
 imagined myself arrested and prosecuted, finally 
 condemned to death ; and I was overcome by an in- 
 describable feeling of terror, and determined to flee 
 at once from the fate which awaited me. Without 
 knowing where I was going or thinking of dressing 
 myself, without money, I flew down-stairs with the 
 sole thought of escaping my victim and effecting 
 my escape. On reaching the first floor, I felt a hand 
 on my shoulder and heard a voice say suddenly : 
 
 " ' Well! L6a, where are you running to? ' 
 
 " I halted in stupid bewilderment, without making 
 any reply. It was Sorbge, who, as he had said, was 
 returning to see what had happened. My agitation, 
 the disordered state of my dress, doubtless told him 
 as much as it was necessary to know, for he seized 
 me by the arm and said in a whisper : 
 
 " ' Are you mad? What is the meaning of this? 
 Come back with me. ' 
 
 " He made me return to my rooms, bolted the 
 door, entered the drawing-room first, for I would not 
 lead the way, and, as he saw by the thickening 
 
 365 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 gloom Jeanne Baud stretched there on the floor, he 
 turned to me and said: 
 
 " ' This is a fine business ! And it is your work, is 
 it? She was a vile hussy, but still the punishment 
 was a brutal one ! ' 
 
 " Impelled by the need of exculpating myself I 
 exclaimed : 
 
 " ' She struck me ; see here, look at my arms and 
 neck; I did nothing more than defend myself! ' 
 
 " He replied with a sang-froid which was frightful 
 in such a circumstance : 
 
 " ' I am convinced of that. But there she lies dead 
 all the same. And it is all over with you ! ' 
 
 " I flung myself into his arms. 
 
 '"Are you going to abandon me? What shall I 
 do, if you will not try to save me? ' 
 
 " I burst into tears. He looked at me calmly. 
 
 " ' Abandon you, I? Could you imagine such a 
 thing? Do you not know me? I was certain you 
 would some day need me. I told you I should be at 
 hand. Here I am, ready to defend you. ' 
 
 " ' Be quick ! ' I exclaimed in trembling accents. 
 
 " ' We have plenty of time. It is eight o'clock 
 now. Your servants will not return before mid- 
 night, and I suppose they will not come into this 
 room? ' 
 
 "'No.' 
 
 " ' It is possible that Jacques might come, but he 
 will take good care not to do so, for an excellent rea- 
 son. Accordingly we are masters of the situation. ' 
 
 " He reflected for a moment, then looking at the 
 dead woman he repeated several times : 
 
 366 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 " ' Yes ! it is the only means. There is only one 
 thing to do. Whatever happens, we must allow 
 sufficient time for escape. ' 
 
 " Approaching and overawing me by the strength 
 and clearness of his determination, he said : 
 
 " ' It is impossible to remove the corpse from here. 
 Accordingly, it will be discovered to-morrow, when 
 you have fled. Its identity will be recognized, and 
 you will be followed, and delivered up to justice. 
 Here is a dead woman, why should it be Jeanne 
 Baud? ' 
 
 " ' Who could take her place? ' I asked. 
 
 " ' Yourself. ' 
 
 " ' Myself! How could that be possible? You are 
 raving! ' 
 
 " He continued, without replying directly : 
 
 " ' Jeanne Baud has arranged everything for her 
 departure ; she disappears, no search is made. The 
 woman killed here must pass for L^a Pirelli. Un- 
 der Jeanne's name. Lea leaves for London. No one 
 knows her. She takes passage on a steamer for 
 America, and meanwhile the police, magistrates, the 
 whole legal machinery, in fact, is set to work to un- 
 ravel the mystery. Jeanne and Lea are of similar 
 height and form, features and hair alone differ ; but 
 features may be rendered unrecognizable, and the 
 lotion L^a used to dye her hair blonde might serve 
 for Jeanne. Identity can be destroyed by a bottle 
 of hair-dye, and a pistol-shot in the face. Jeanne is 
 dead in any case; whether shot or strangled, it is 
 only the method of the murder which changes. 
 That is of slight importance, the main thing is to 
 
 367 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 throw the detectives off the scent. And how can we 
 fail to succeed? A woman is found dead in her 
 rooms, fully dressed. How could one doubt as to 
 her identity? What would be the use of hunting for 
 the impossible? hia. Pirelli is dead, and Jeanne 
 Baud is touring about the world. There is the 
 problem solved, why should it be difficult to exe- 
 cute? ' 
 
 " In the silence of the night, he laughed at my 
 stupor. I had followed his reasoning, and under- 
 stood the terrible skill therein displayed. But I ex- 
 claimed : 
 
 '* ' Then who, if I leave and if Jeanne Baud disap- 
 pears, will have committed the crime? ' 
 
 " ' Ah ! ah ! ' he said cynically, ' you have become 
 inquisitive ! You are caught in my toils ! You ask 
 who will have committed the crime? Very good! 
 The one on whose account the whole thing hap- 
 pened. ' 
 
 " I was afraid to understand him, but he left me 
 no time for doubt. 
 
 " ' Who is guilty throughout it all? Who is it who 
 has so shamefully betrayed you? Who, with your 
 money in his pocket, would have fled with another? 
 Who, head over ears in debt, without hope or credit, 
 and almost without honor, may morally be judged 
 capable of having killed L^a Pirelli ? ' 
 
 " ' Jacques ! ' I exclaimed, horrified ; ' oh ! Jacques ! 
 never! never! I would rather give myself up, be 
 imprisoned, condemned, killed even. But a like 
 infamy. No ! no ! ' 
 
 " ' Infamy corresponding to his own \ You are 
 368 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 simply having your revenge. Nothing more. 
 What scruples you have when he had so few! 
 He had left you here, at the risk of killing you with 
 despair and anger. Did he hesitate? ' 
 
 " ' I will not do it ! No, I will not. Leave me 
 alone ! ' 
 
 " Then he became insolent and threatening. 
 
 " ' Enough of this ! What a fool I am to take so 
 much trouble to convince you ; I am doing my best 
 to save you, while you seem to be doing your best to 
 effect your own ruin. Make your own choice ; it is 
 absolutely indifferent to me. Heaven knows what 
 responsibility I am incurring for your sake. And 
 you reject my help. Adieu ! ' 
 
 " He took a step in the direction of the door, and, 
 at the thought of remaining alone with that corpse, 
 I lost all energy. My love of honor, cruelly broken 
 into by the insidious arguments of this wretch, be- 
 gan to yield. He tried everything he could possibly 
 imagine to corrupt a soul opposed to evil, and desir- 
 ous of finding a refuge in sacrifice. 
 
 " Soon his victory was assured ! Oh ! frightful 
 night! I can still picture to myself the atrocious 
 occupation on which we were engaged. We were 
 obliged to disrobe the dead woman, and dress her in 
 my clothes, boots, and jewels. Finally we accom- 
 plished the dyeing of her hair. Her dark ringlets 
 became blonde beneath our polluted hands. It was 
 a scene of horror and dread; the perfumed water 
 trickling down the ghastly brow of the corpse — 
 the terrible disguise in preparation for the tomb. 
 How did I endure the trial without my heart break- 
 24 369 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 ing? The rest became obscured in a kind of mist. I 
 was half dead when Sorfege, making use of a revolver 
 you had given me, fired three chambers full into the 
 face of the victim, who had already been dead several 
 hours. I was utterly helpless ; so Sorbge dressed me 
 with Jeanne's gown, placed her hat upon my head 
 and a thick veil over my face, and, taking the leather 
 satchel which contained Jeanne's papers, made me 
 leave the house. Of all that belonged to me he had 
 taken nothing but the pawntickets you had brought 
 me back that very morning. I had no idea as to the 
 use he intended to make of them. He conducted 
 me to the station, found the baggage-ticket in the 
 satchel, and, after obtaining Jeanne's baggage, 
 brought me a first-class ticket, and saw me safely 
 into the Boulogne train ; then he said : 
 
 " ' Put up at the Casino Hotel and wait for rne to- 
 morrow. I shall reach Boulogne to-morrow night 
 and will tell you the news. ' 
 
 " The train started. He waved me a final sign of 
 encouragement, and I left Paris, almost fainting 
 with fatigue and anguish of heart, leaving behind 
 me the horror of a double crime — the one I had ac- 
 tually committed, and the one I was allowing to be 
 committed. " 
 
 Jacques, trembling, but otherwise motionless, 
 looked at L6a more in pity than in anger. The hor- 
 ror of the position in which the wretched woman 
 had been placed touched him deeply. He forgot the 
 frightful consequences the act committed had had 
 for him, and saw nothing but the immediate danger 
 L6a had incurred. He said slowly : 
 
 370 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 " Yes, everything was boldly plotted out, and was 
 bound to succeed. My own agitation and the abso- 
 lute impossibility for me to account for Jeanne's fate 
 must have combined to guard the secret. How could 
 the woman found dead in L^a's rooms, clothed in her 
 garments, be any other than L^a herself? I myself 
 had no doubt whatever. Less bold than you were, 
 I turned away my eyes from the corpse when it was 
 pointed out to me in the morgue ; I did not touch it 
 as you were obliged to do. One must have a special 
 nature to be able to examine dead bodies closely. 
 An insuperable repugnance came over me, and I 
 could do nothing but weep, when I ought to have 
 discussed and examined. You did not think of all 
 this, L^a, while the hours were going by and my 
 ruin was being assured? " 
 
 " Yes, Jacques, I did think of it. But Sorfege had 
 come as he had said, and falling once more beneath 
 the influence of my accomplice, I was unable to re- 
 sist. I tried to do so from the first ; I was mad with 
 despair and remorse, and besought him to find some 
 means of exculpating you, once I was out of reach 
 of any possible pursuit ; but he only jeered and said, 
 in tones of terrible irony : 
 
 " ' Do you think I shall plunge into so terrible a 
 matter for the sake of proving M. Jacques de Fr^- 
 neuse to be innocent? Nonsense! You are mad! 
 He is caught in the toils, let him stay there! ' 
 
 " ' But his mother, who has done nothing what- 
 ever, and will bewail her son all her life ; his sis- 
 ter, who is innocent, and whose future is now 
 blighted!' 
 
 371 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " His countenance changed, and losing his usual 
 sang-froid, he said : 
 
 " ' Do not speak to me of his sister ! You might 
 make me regret that her future is not blighted to a 
 greater degree. I hate them all, do you hear? His 
 sister especially ; I was foolhardy enough to love her, 
 and she spurned me. That I shall never forget nor 
 forgive ! ' 
 
 "At that moment he looked so atrocious and 
 cruel that I completely lost my head : 
 
 " ' I will not remain at your mercy ; you make me 
 afraid of you, and your friendship is as greatly to be 
 dreaded as your hatred. Let me go; whatever be- 
 comes of me, let us separate. ' 
 
 " Seizing me by the arm, and overstepping all 
 bounds of moderation, he was no longer the well- 
 bred man I had known; he now showed himself a 
 brutal and gross character : 
 
 " ' You stupid creature, do you think I will submit 
 to your whims? I am your master; do not forget 
 that you belong to me. ' 
 
 " He had seized me. I tried to resist, but I was 
 too exhausted by the emotions I had passed through, 
 and I gave up the struggle. " 
 
 In the silence Jacques and L^a remained there 
 motionless and horrified. Finally the wretched 
 woman raised her head, and with a cry of despair 
 flung herself at Jacques's feet: 
 
 " O Jacques ! Pardon me, I beseech you ! I have 
 been a coward. But you see that it is Sorege who 
 has done everything. Is not he a thousand times 
 more guilty than myself, even tho it was not he who 
 
 372 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 committed the murder? He had prepared it, and 
 almost driven me to the act. Oh, pardon me! I 
 loved you so well, and I did you so much wrong. I 
 ought to have written to the judge to ask him to set 
 you free, and to hand me over to justice ; but I was 
 afraid. I fled, and meanwhile you were atoning for 
 your faithlessness by the most grievous punishment 
 a man could bear. I am at your disposal, Jacques, 
 do with me as you please. I hate Sorfege, and I 
 would rather die than see him again, especially now 
 that you have returned. You are still the same, 
 Jacques ; you have not changed, you are always gen- 
 erous and kind. Altho you guessed my crime, you 
 did not denounce me. And even when I pursued 
 you with my hatred, I still loved you. Jacques! . . . 
 Jacques! . . ." 
 
 She was writhing at his feet. As she raised her 
 beautiful face, streaming with tears, a shiver of pas- 
 sion ran through him. Her smiling and fevered face 
 approached Jacques's, and with a gesture of impas- 
 sioned ardor she held out to him her lips. He gently 
 thrust her aside, freed himself from her embrace, and 
 left her standing there before him, crushed by this 
 coldness she had hoped to overcome. 
 
 " It is late, L^a," he said. " The night is drawing 
 on. We must think of to-morrow. I am greatly 
 obliged to you for your frankness, and do not intend 
 to take advantage of it to ruin you. I am not a 
 Sorfege, but I must exculpate myself; I must have a 
 material proof of my innocence. You alone can 
 give me this proof. " 
 
 " I will do so without hesitation. I have suffered 
 373 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 too much, and can no longer live in this way. Do 
 you want me to write out these confessions I have 
 just made you? I am ready to do so." 
 
 A shadow passed over her face, and a pitiful smile 
 played on her lips. 
 
 " Sorfege knows that you have discovered every- 
 thing. He knows we are here alone, and that I in- 
 tended to speak. ... Be careful, Jacques ! " 
 
 He gave a sign of indifference. 
 
 " I am not afraid of him." 
 
 " Then you are in the wrong. " 
 
 " He can do nothing against me. I do not move a 
 step in London without being followed by French 
 detectives. I am watched and protected at the same 
 time." 
 
 " Then it is I who am lost. To prevent me accu- 
 sing him, he will try to do away with me. The blow 
 will fall on me as a punishment for having aban- 
 doned him." 
 
 " He will have quite enough to do to defend him- 
 self against me. We have a terrible account to 
 settle. Take my word for it, he is in greater danger 
 than you are. " 
 
 Jacques then continued : 
 
 " You offered to give me your confession in wri- 
 ting. I accept. Do not be uneasy. I will make use 
 of it only when you are in safety. Stay here ; locked 
 in your own room. Be not at home to any one, and 
 see no more of Sorfege. I will undertake to free you 
 of his presence. " 
 
 L,6a. shook her head sadly : 
 
 " You do not know him. He will reach me through 
 374 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 the wall if I stay here, through space if I flee. He 
 is a terrible man and always strikes when no one ex- 
 pects. Take care of yourself, Jacques, for he hates 
 you with a mortal hatred. It matters little what 
 becomes of me. But you have a revenge to take, a 
 public and signal vengeance. Do not compromise it 
 by some imprudent act." 
 
 He replied gravely : 
 
 " My life is over, L6a. My rehabilitation and the 
 punishment of Sorfege are the last acts I shall ac- 
 complish as a man. I have seen the world and 
 judged it. The joys it offers are vain, its pains and 
 penalties are real. I shall give up everything that 
 bound me to life. Even if I had not been under the 
 obligation to redeem my name, on account of my 
 mother and sister, I should still accept nothing from 
 you. I should go and kneel at the door of a con- 
 vent, where I would spend my life in silence and 
 meditation." 
 
 "What! Jacques! You, still young and rich, 
 with the hope of happiness before you, flee from the 
 world? " 
 
 "Yes, L6a." 
 
 " Is your heart broken then? Have you no more 
 desires or aspirations? " 
 
 " I know life now ; I have tasted deeply of its joys 
 and its sorrows. There is nothing in it to repay men 
 for the trouble they take in killing ennui by pleasure. 
 One scarcely begins to live before old age comes on ; 
 and then death. Nothing but vanity! By sweet- 
 ening the lot of the unhappy and the downtrodden, 
 I will try to atone for the harm I have done." 
 
 375 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Shall I not see you again, Jacques? " 
 
 " Yes, once more, when you hand me your confes- 
 sion; then I will bid you adieu forever." 
 
 "To-night, if I am still alive," said L6a with a 
 ghastly smile, " I will sing in ' Romeo and Juliet. ' 
 It will be my last triumph. If you are disengaged, 
 Jacques, come to see me. The floral tributes they 
 will give me shall be my funeral wreaths. Never 
 again shall my voice be heard on that fine stage, 
 where only yesterday I forgot my infamy amid the 
 praises and acclamations showered upon me. I 
 must leave all this art which has given me another 
 personality, and sustained me in my hardest trials ; 
 the intoxication of success, which for an hour cast a 
 kind of torpor over my sufferings; the idolatry of 
 the populace, which permitted me to deceive myself 
 as to my real degradation. I shall retire into ob- 
 scurity . . . maybe into eternal oblivion ! But that 
 will be only just and right." 
 
 She gave a gesture of haughty scorn. 
 
 " I am mad! All this tinsel is not worth a single 
 regret ! " 
 
 She pointed to the window, where the dawn was 
 beginning to lighten ; then with a smile in which all 
 her former grace reappeared, she said: 
 
 " You will pardon me, Jacques, will you not? " 
 
 He wished to reply. But she imposed silence on 
 him, and continued: 
 
 " No ; say nothing. Wait till to-night. . . . 
 Adieu!" 
 
 She accompanied him to the door. In the dark 
 vestibule Jacques felt L^a's arm gently caressing 
 
 376 
 
A CONFESSION 
 
 him, then her breast palpitating against his own; 
 and, without his being able to prevent it, a pair of 
 burning lips applied to his. He shuddered, and 
 thrust aside this phantom of a love which had gone 
 forever. A doleful sigh escaped her lips. The door 
 opened and closed again. He was alone, with the 
 staircase before him, and a broken heart in the 
 room he had just left. 
 
 377 
 
Chapter VI 
 
 THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 SoRfeGE, on returning to his hotel, after that terri- 
 ble evening on which Jacques had, as it were, risen 
 from the grave to ruin him, sat plunged in profound 
 meditation. He was not a man to be troubled by a 
 matter of sentiment, but went straight to the end in 
 a practical manner. The whole question, for him, 
 lay in finding out what he had to fear or hope from 
 Lda, and in what measure she would arm Jacques 
 against him. That she hated him he had no doubt 
 whatever ; she had said so and repeated it a hundred 
 times. The very previous night her rage against 
 him had burst forth in violence and insults, which 
 made her more desirable than ever in his eyes. He 
 was one of those monsters who like to hear the cries 
 of their victims and take delight in their tears. 
 
 That this woman whom he had treated as a slave 
 should take a terrible revenge on him, should the 
 opportunity ever offer itself, was a matter of course. 
 He would have done it, therefore he had no doubt 
 whatever that L6a would not hesitate to do it too. 
 
 As soon as Jacques and she have confessed to one 
 another their respective wrongs, he thought, their 
 alliance against me will be an accomplished fact. 
 But what can L6a do? Her field of action is limited 
 
 378 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 by the precautions she will take not to compromise 
 herself. Ruin me — good ; it will be a temptation for 
 her, but she must know that such a course would 
 bring ruin to herself also. And what comparison 
 can be made between the harm she causes me and 
 that she inflicts on herself? None whatever. She 
 may accuse me of duplicity and lying, but at the 
 same time she will be obliged to confess that she has 
 committed a murder. And even if she accuses, who 
 has the means of convicting me? No witness. Her 
 testimony alone. That has a certain value to Jacques 
 and a few friends, but to a judge it would have none 
 whatever. Therefore the material result is nil. 
 The moral harm this wretched woman might work 
 me would suffice for her vengeance. She would 
 disqualify me, compromise me without mercy, and 
 that I would not endure, no matter what the cost. 
 How can I avoid this? 
 
 He reflected long, lit a cigar, and began to smoke. 
 In the curling fumes of blue smoke which slowly es- 
 caped his lips and ascended to the roof, he saw the 
 images of L^a and Jacques flit past, sometimes dull 
 and gloomy, then again active and triumphant. 
 They were always together, however, united with 
 the same intent, bound together by the same inter- 
 ests. Suddenly he arose, and with a gesture effaced 
 this vision and began to walk to and fro the room. 
 A few brief expressions escaped his lips, giving vent 
 to his crowding thoughts, like a rush of steam from 
 a boiler. 
 
 " What do I risk? A duel with Jacques or Trago- 
 mer? I am afraid of neither one nor the other. . . . 
 
 379 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 A prosecution for false witness before the Assize 
 Court? . . . Nonsense. . . . How would that bene- 
 fit them? They can do nothing against me. ... I 
 can still do a great deal. I must see this stupid 
 L,6a, and find out how much she has confessed to 
 Jacques. . . . Above all, I must make certain that 
 she writes nothing. Finally, it is absolutely neces- 
 sary that she disappear. ... If need be ... I will 
 frighten her into this course ; . . . she is afraid of 
 me, and will obey me. . . . Once L6a is out of the 
 way, I will play my game boldly. . . . Self-confi- 
 dence and audacity alone will clear me. . . . But 
 above all, I must lay in a reserve of strength. ..." 
 
 He went to bed and slept till daybreak. 
 
 At the very hour Sorfege opened his eyes, after a 
 calm, tranquil sleep, as tho his conscience were free 
 from stain, Jacques, after returning to the yacht, 
 shut himself in the cabin, along with Marenval and 
 Tragomer. The gray, smoky light which heralds 
 the mom in the English capital appeared, while the 
 boats were beginning to move about the river, and 
 the dock-laborers to make their way along the quays. 
 But the attention of the three men was not drawn by 
 the spectacle of this incessant methodical activity, 
 which is the characteristic of English work. Noth- 
 ing that was taking place around was of any interest 
 to them. Their attention was fascinated by the ac- 
 count Jacques was giving them of his interview with 
 Jenny Hawkins. 
 
 "Then all we have imagined and guessed," said 
 Tragomer, "is correct? And we shall have irrefu- 
 table proof of it? " 
 
 380 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 "She is to hand it to me this evening." 
 
 "We are attaining our end," said Marenval en- 
 thusiasticallj'. 
 
 "We have the monster at the death," resumed 
 Tragomer, "but rest assured he will make a fine 
 defense. You saw from his audacity last night, 
 when his villainy was only partially exposed, what 
 we may expect of him now that the whole truth is 
 known. We must attack him with the utmost vigor. 
 If we do not break him at a single blow, he will re- 
 coil, and we shall be compelled to submit to a 
 violent shock. Before everything else, as it is a 
 question of honor, we must warn Harvey of the 
 state of things. If we leave him in ignorance as to 
 the character of the man he has received as his 
 future son-in-law, he would have the right to re- 
 proach us for our silence. Besides, I have promised 
 to tell his daughter everything." 
 
 " This will be a blow to aristocratic infatuation in 
 America," said M. Marenval. "In spite of one's 
 money, one can not have husbands free from re- 
 proach. Better remain unmarried! " 
 
 " We must also inform Vesin ; he has been a power- 
 ful help to us, and it is only right that he should be 
 . one of the first to hear of the success of our efforts. " 
 
 "And now," said Jacques, "we must tell my 
 mother that everything is going well. ..." 
 
 " If you like, I will go this very morning to see 
 Madame de Fr^neuse," said Tragomer. 
 
 "Yes, Christian," said Jacques, with a smile. 
 " That is your due ; for you were the initiator, the 
 first to see through this black crime, and to point out 
 
 381 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 to Marenval the feeble light in the distance which 
 guided you. " 
 
 " When I think of what has taken place in the last 
 six months," declared Cyprian, with simple frank- 
 ness, " I seem to have been in a dream. I can see 
 myself again in the club dining-room, after Mau- 
 giron and the rest had gone, where Tragomer com- 
 menced his recital of what he had seen at San 
 Francisco. What he told me at first seemed impos- 
 sible, then I was greatly impressed by the glimpse 
 of the truth I had seen ; and finally, I went almost 
 mad over it. An incredible impulse came over me 
 to go into the matter, tho at the same time I was 
 terribly afraid of the complications I was likely to 
 be involved in. Ah ! I must confess that but for the 
 influence Tragomer obtained over me, from that 
 evening, I should have given up the struggle. But 
 he inspired me with his own enthusiasm, there is no 
 denying it. And once the little finger caught in 
 that gearing, it was all over. The whole body had 
 to follow. The visit to Madame de Fr^neuse, old 
 Giraud's confidential talk, and the interview with 
 Campistron. . . . Ah! my dear Jacques, it was in- 
 deed extraordinary. Every step we took along the 
 path on which we had entered, we saw our way a 
 little more clearly. Never has a more interesting 
 adventure been undertaken by two men. To set 
 out in search of a Nansen or an Andr^e was nothing 
 in comparison with the fascination of our expedition. 
 For we were not only going to the rescue of a man, 
 we were also marching on to discover the truth. 
 Vesin had perceived this when he said to us 
 
 382 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 skeptically : ' You will not succeed, but I envy you 
 making the attempt, and but for the fact that I hold 
 an official position, I would set off with you ! ' 
 Well! We have yielded to no obstacle, we have 
 made headway against wind and tide, and now we 
 have reached the harbor, with Jacques before us 
 and the truth in our pockets. It is a great success, 
 and will create considerable stir, no doubt! " 
 
 "The truth," said Jacques, "is not yet in our 
 pockets, but it will be this evening. " 
 
 Tragomer shook his head anxiously. 
 
 " Until these material proofs are safe in my hands, 
 and we have the culprit's confession confirmed, I 
 shall not be quite free from apprehension." 
 
 "What can you be afraid of, my dear friend?" 
 asked Marenval impatiently. 
 
 " I am afraid that Sorfege will bring about the dis- 
 appearance of Jenny Hawkins before she has ful- 
 filled her promise to Jacques. I know the despotic 
 authority this villain exercises over the unhappy 
 girl. He fascinates her; fills her with horror and 
 fear. He juggled her away most skilfully under 
 my very eyes at San Francisco. He will find some 
 means of effecting her disappearance. In that case 
 we may look for her in vain! " 
 
 "Then we must inform the English police," ex- 
 claimed Marenval, with the fury of a man who is 
 told that the victory is not his when he already con- 
 sidered it as won. " We must not allow ourselves to 
 be beaten at the last moment by this rascal. We 
 should, indeed, be laUghing-stocks in that case." 
 
 " Do not be uneasy," said Jacques, " I have taken 
 383 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 my precautions. lL€a has promised that she will re- 
 main in her room, and receive no one till this eve- 
 ning. To-morrow, she will have left London. And 
 Sor^ge will have us alone to deal with. Therefore 
 we will act as has been agreed upon. You, Chris- 
 tian, take the good news to my mother, and you, 
 Marenval, go and see Vesin. I will call on Miss 
 Harvey at her home, and there we will all meet." 
 
 When he awoke, his mind perfectly clear and de- 
 termined, Sorfege breakfasted and took a cab for 
 Tavistock Street. He never did things by halves. 
 After sleeping and eating well, he felt sure of him- 
 self. The important point was to speak to Jenny. 
 If he could reach her, he did not despair of rallying 
 her over to his side. Above all, he must know what 
 arrangements had been come to between herself and 
 Jacques. The carriage came to a sudden halt in 
 front of the house, scattering all his combinations. 
 Leaping on to the pavement, he ascended the stair- 
 case. 
 
 An old man wearing a threadbare pair of trousers 
 and a frock-coat embellished with numberless stains, 
 with a silk hat on his head, was engaged in washing 
 the vestibule floor, in very conscientious fashion. 
 Sorfege glanced at him and passed by. But by the 
 attitude and face of the man, as well as by his ex- 
 aggeratedly wretched costume, his suspicions were 
 aroused. He looked downward from over the rail as 
 he proceeded. The man had stopped washing, and 
 with upraised head was watching him. On reaching 
 the second floor, Sor^ge rang the bell. No sound 
 
 384 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 could be heard inside, not even the slightest step. 
 It was the silence of an empty apartment. He rang 
 a second time, and waited, his heart beating anx- 
 iously. Not a sound. Sorfege felt certain that 
 Jenny was at home and would not open the door to 
 him. He also felt sure that she had entered the 
 struggle against him and had been won over by his 
 opponents. He turned pale with anger, but resisted 
 the inclination that came over him to fling himself 
 against the door and forcibly enter the room. The 
 man in rags and tall hat downstairs caused him to 
 reflect : If I make a noise and this idiot of a woman 
 cries out, I may be carried off to the police-station. 
 I must not run the risk of being forced to explain. 
 He stood there for another moment, motionless, by 
 the door, listening; and he imagined he heard a 
 vague kind of sigh on the other side. The thought 
 came to him that Jenny too was listening, and anx- 
 iously waiting for him to leave. Speaking as tho to 
 a shadow, he whispered : 
 
 "Jenny, you are there, I know. You are mad! 
 Open the door. You are in danger. ... I have 
 come for your own good. . . . Time is precious; 
 you have been deceived. . . . Listen to me . . . ." 
 
 The shadow made no reply, and Sorfege, his heart 
 beating with rage, made a threatening gesture, and 
 slowly descended the staircase. The dirty-looking 
 man had resumed his occupation with the wash-rag, 
 and seemed actually to be intensifying the filthy 
 condition of the flagstones. As Sorfege passed him, 
 he raised his head, and touching his hat with his 
 dirty hand, said in hoarse tones : 
 25 385 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Is it the young lady in the furnished apartments 
 you want, sir? . . . She has gone out for the 
 day. ..." 
 
 Sorfege deigned no reply. He measured him with 
 a glance and left the house. His hansom was wait- 
 ing, and he rode away toward Hyde Park. It was 
 ten o'clock. He alighted at the corner of Piccadilly, 
 and proceeded toward the park on foot. He walked 
 along the Serpentine, disheartened by the conscious- 
 ness of his first rebuff. Evidently Jenny was betray- 
 ing him, but what could she have said? Women are 
 so clever in presenting things under the aspect most 
 favorable to themselves. Without acknowledging 
 the whole truth, might she not have thrown the 
 whole responsibility on him? At this thought his 
 features contracted, and he clenched his hands to- 
 gether. As he acknowledged, the previous night, 
 when preparing his plan of defense, there was no 
 witness. Even if he denied all participation in the 
 crime, Jenny, on her side, might affirm that it was 
 he who had abetted if not actually committed the 
 crime. The safety of both had always depended on 
 their union. United they might offer a defense, but 
 divided they were undone. 
 
 He was sure the division had taken place as he 
 walked there by the banks of the pretty, artificial 
 river, surrounded with lawns and overhung with 
 trees just springing into foliage. He shuddered 
 with fear and anger at the same time, but he could 
 not think of yielding. On the contrary, he strength- 
 ened himself in his determination to struggle to 
 the very end, even tho he were to perish. A 
 
 386 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 faint smile appeared on his lips. Perish, be it so, but 
 not alone! Suffer defeat, but not without being 
 avenged ! 
 
 Along the lanes and bridle-paths riders began to 
 appear, and carriages with their fine teams of horses 
 — the finest in the world — rolled by. The world of 
 fashion in its daily and monotonous splendor came 
 into view. Sorfege could not bear the idea of join- 
 ing the throng. Plunging into Kensington Gardens, 
 he walked to and fro, to while away a few of the 
 hours which intervened until the time when he was 
 expected at Julius Harvey's. When, later on, he 
 entered a restaurant in Regent Street, he ate nei- 
 ther more nor less than usual, and on the stroke 
 of two reached the Harvey mansion in Grosvenor 
 Square. 
 
 Ascending the large staircase to the first floor, he 
 found the steward, who awaited him with his usual 
 respectful deference, and introduced him, as was his 
 wont, into the small salon where Miss Harvey was 
 accustomed to be at that time. She was sitting by 
 the fireside, in which a bright log-fire was burning. 
 The window opposite was open, to let the sunlight 
 into the room. On seeing her fiance enter, she arose 
 to meet him without anything in her attitude to in- 
 dicate a change of feeling toward him. Her counte- 
 nance was calm, her look serene ; but, doubtless, as 
 chance would have it, she held between her fingers 
 a rather voluminous book, on which she was en- 
 gaged, so that she did not hold out her hand. Point- 
 ing to a chair in front of her, she placed the book 
 on the table, and closed the window. 
 
 387 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "It is rather cold this morning," she said. . . 
 " English springs are certainly rather frosty. ..." 
 
 With an attempt at a jest, he said : 
 
 " Is it any better in America? " 
 
 " Oh ! In America everything is better ! " she said. 
 " The seasons do not deceive us nor do the men." 
 
 He raised his head. The allusion was a direct one. 
 An attack was beginning, and he replied at once : 
 
 " Nor the women either, doubtless? " 
 
 A blush passed over Miss Maud's brow. 
 
 "The women, above all! " she said proudly. 
 
 He watched her through his half-closed eyelids, 
 which veiled his thoughts, but followed so well what 
 was passing in the minds of others, and in firm tones 
 said: 
 
 " Well, Miss Maud, I must have the proof. What 
 is the meaning of such a reception? " 
 
 She rose slightly in her armchair, and replied: 
 
 " Monsieur le Comte, I will tell you that when you 
 have explained to me why you allowed your friend 
 Jacques de Fr^neuse to be condemned without de- 
 fending him. " 
 
 He smiled in disdain. 
 
 " Ah, that is what is the matter, is it? Ask the 
 man himself. Last night he was here under the 
 name of Herbert Carlton. I suppose he will be able 
 to explain to you better than he did to the judges 
 the compromising position in which he was placed. 
 A condemnation, in reference to good society, is 
 always a bad sign. . . . People are not condemned 
 so easily. And if America is the country of sincer- 
 ity, France is the country of justice." 
 
 388 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 " Fine phrase ! Very fine sentiment ! But I know 
 that you are very eloquent, and so mere words will 
 not satisfy me." 
 
 " Have we reached such a stage that I must excul- 
 pate myself before you? " 
 
 "We have reached a point at which each of us 
 must know how matters stand. Just now we were 
 enumerating the qualities of our respective countries. 
 Among others, America possesses a predominating 
 quality : common sense. I am a thorough American 
 in this respect; and if I marry you, M. de Sorfege, I 
 do not want to have occasion to repent bearing your 
 name. " 
 
 " Miss Maud, you are quite right ; for it is the only 
 thing I bring you, or nearly so. But have you any 
 reason to suspect that my name is compromised? " 
 
 "Monsieur le Comte, there are several ways of 
 being compromised. One may be so in a material 
 sense, as, for instance, by bad business bringing about 
 bankruptcy. That is of no importance for us Amer- 
 icans. You fall and rise again ; that is the see-saw 
 of commerce and industry. The main thing is to 
 end at the top. But a quality to which we attach 
 enormous importance is moral integrity. A man 
 who has committed a dishonorable action is one 
 whom no self-respecting girl would marry, any 
 more than she would a negro servant or a Chinese 
 coolie." 
 
 Sorbge smiled. Half-opening his eyelids, he 
 asked tranquilly : 
 
 " What am I accused of? For that I am accused 
 there can be no doubt whatever, and to justify my- 
 
 389 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 self, I must know the nature of the calumnies spread 
 concerning me. ..." 
 
 " I wish with all my soul they may be nothing more 
 than calumnies, for I should be too ashamed of hav- 
 ing placed my hand in yours if you have really done 
 what you are charged with." 
 
 " In the first place, give me the names of the per- 
 sons who have brought charges against me." 
 
 " Monsieur de Tragomer, Monsieur Marenval, and 
 finally Monsieur de Fr^neuse himself. ..." 
 
 " Fr^neuse ! That goes without saying. He must 
 bring a charge against some one. . . . Tragomer 
 and Marenval ; an explanation is easy ; the one is his 
 friend, the other his relative . . . ." 
 
 "But you too were his friend! And it is that 
 which renders your conduct incomprehensible. Why 
 are you not so absolutely devoted to M. de Fr6- 
 neuse as M. de Tragomer is? When I used to speak 
 to you of him, why were all your replies ambiguous? 
 Why are you now hostile to him? There is a secret 
 between him and you; be frank, tell me what has 
 separated you, and what makes you still enemies to 
 one another? " 
 
 " There is his crime," said Sorbge coldly. " There 
 is his condemnation. And indeed that is quite 
 enough. Do you think it possible for me to forget? 
 If my memory failed me to such an extent, would not 
 the world have reminded me of the fact that Jacques 
 de Fr^neuse passed through the Assize Court, sat in 
 the prisoner's pen, and was carried away to prison 
 handcuffed, and finally to the bagnio? You reproach 
 me for forsaking him ; was it not the same with all 
 
 390 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 about him? A wretch who has fallen so low is a 
 pest from whom every one flees in horror. This is 
 not perhaps a sublime thing to do, but it is very hu- 
 man. One can not turn a convict into one's boon 
 companion. When society, by a severe condemna- 
 tion, has cast off a worthless fellow from its ranks, 
 one can not go and take him in one's arms and laud 
 and glorify him. I am only a man, not an angel. 
 Saint Vincent de Paul or the Man with the Blue 
 Mantle would doubtless have acted in a more Chris- 
 tian spirit. Besides, have Tragomer and Marenval 
 acted any better? The unfortunate Jacques has 
 been a pariah to them as well as to all who knew 
 him. He was abandoned and given up by every- 
 body. Why should it be imputed to me as a crime 
 that I did the same? It has taken Tragomer two 
 years to come round. And then, do you know why? 
 Because he was in love with Mademoiselle de Fr^- 
 neuse, and could not succeed in forgetting her, 
 altho he made the attempt by taking a trip round 
 the world. As for Marenval, he is a snob who can 
 be made to do anything one likes by a mere promise 
 that his name shall appear in the papers. These 
 gentlemen conceived the plan of carrying off Fr^- 
 neuse from the bagnio, secretly, and of bringing him 
 to Europe. By exceptional luck, they have accom- 
 plished their object, and the condemned man is now 
 at liberty. But he is as far from establishing his 
 innocence as New Caledonia is far from England. 
 And it is not by accusing at random one whose con- 
 science does not accuse him that he will succeed in 
 proving that an examining judge, twelve jurymen, 
 
 391 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 three counselors, and the highest court of appeal in 
 France have made so gross an error as to send an 
 innocent man to the bagnio." 
 
 " Unless it were proved," said Miss Harvey, "that 
 appearances had been so skilfully arranged as to ren- 
 der it impossible not to believe in the wretched man's 
 guilt!" 
 
 " Ah ! That is what they all say when they are 
 condemned. It is easy enough to do so, but when 
 proof must be produced. ..." 
 
 The young girl interrupted him, and looking full 
 into his face, said : 
 
 " Suppose the proof existed? " 
 
 Sorbge turned pale ; a flash of anger shot from his 
 eyes as he exclaimed : 
 
 "What proof?" 
 
 " The confession of the crime by the author her- 
 self." 
 
 " And who committed it? " 
 
 "A woman. Must I mention her name? You 
 may take your choice, for she is known by three 
 names — the one by which you introduced her here, 
 the Covent Garden prima donna; Jeanne Baud, whom 
 you sent two years ago to England ; and L^a Pirelli, 
 the wretch by whose aid you worked out the plot of 
 which Jacques de Fr^neuse has been the victim. 
 This is clear enough, M. de Sor^ge; now I want a re- 
 ply and one free from all ambiguity. " 
 
 " And has Jenny Hawkins brought such charges 
 against me? " 
 
 " She will renew them in writing, for she has prom- 
 ised to do so. " 
 
 39a 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 Of all that had been said, Sorfege's awakened intel- 
 ligence seized hold of this future tense ; she will re- 
 new them. Accordingly, Jenny had not yet written 
 or signed anything. He saw a loophole of escape, 
 and bursting into a hilarious laugh which sounded 
 strangely in the silence of the room, he said : 
 
 " Ah ! She will write ! Indeed ! I have no doubt 
 she will. For money you could obtain from that 
 woman anything you like. What will that cost her? 
 She will leave England with a well-filled purse, and 
 will appear in some other country singing under a 
 fourth name. The world is large ; Italy and Spain 
 are open to her; . . . women accustomed to the 
 stage know how to disguise themselves. It is not 
 difiBcult to deceive people. Besides, what is a writ- 
 ten statement made to satisfy people's vengeance or 
 interests? This very evening, Miss Maud, I will 
 bring you, if you wish, the formal denial of all that 
 has been written against me and signed by that girl. 
 On the other hand, I shall demand to have the paper 
 in which I am accused shown to me. " 
 
 Miss Harvey turned toward Sorfege, overcome by 
 an emotion she could no longer conceal. 
 
 " Listen ! I will not forget that I have had a feel- 
 ing of friendship for you. It would be better if you 
 would frankly confess what you have to reproach 
 yourself with, rather than persist in your denial, 
 contrary to all evidence. You are ruining yourself , 
 . . . this girl is not lying when she says all this in 
 self-accusation. . . .M. de Tragomer is not lying; 
 Monsieur Marenval and Jacques de Fr6neuse do not 
 lie. ..." 
 
 393 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Sorfege suddenly sprang from his seat, and said 
 savagely : 
 
 " If they do not, then I do, I suppose? " 
 
 At that moment the door opened, and Julius Har- 
 vey, his face burning with indignation, entered the 
 room. 
 
 "Yes, indeed, you do!" he said, "if you must 
 be told in plain language. By Jove ! Has any one 
 ever seen such obstinacy? My daughter has had too 
 much patience. I would not have been so indulgent 
 with you! " 
 
 Sorfege replied in scornful tones. 
 
 " How do you call the manner in which you are 
 now acting toward me? " he said. " In every coun- 
 try in the world it is called spying ! So you were 
 waiting there concealed, listening, with the intention 
 of surprising me. Come! Summon your acolytes; 
 it is time to look one another face to face ! " 
 
 There was now nothing circumspect or wary, as 
 was his wont, about Sor^ge's conduct. His features, 
 suddenly assuming a hard expression, gave evidence 
 of indomitable energy; his eyes, wide open, shot 
 forth flashes of hatred and defiance, and he stood 
 there, formidable to look at, and quite as ready to 
 attack as to defend himself. Behind Julius Har- 
 vey, Tragomer, Marenval, and Jacques had made 
 their appearance. With a wave of his hand, So- 
 rhge united them all in the insult he now hurled 
 forth: 
 
 " You were listening at the doors ! Come nearer, 
 gentlemen, it will be easier for you to hear me. I 
 give a formal denial to the accusations brought 
 
 394 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 against me. The only knowledge I have had I dis- 
 closed last night to M. de Fr^neuse himself, and too 
 late to give him an opportunity of profiting by it. 
 As for his personal conduct, with regard to his for- 
 mer friends, better not mention it; and if he has 
 no recollection of the services L6a Pirelli rendered 
 him, he is a villain! " 
 
 Tragomer made a movement so violent in the 
 direction of Sorfege that Jacques laid his hand on 
 the other's arm to check him. 
 
 " The dealings I may have had with Lia. Pirelli 
 shall be settled between herself and me, " he said. 
 " As for those I have with M. de Sorbge, they are of 
 such a nature that in his own interest I advise him 
 not to insist." 
 
 " What should I have to fear? " asked the Count 
 recklessly. 
 
 "You? Nothing! Any other man, dishonor!" 
 said Jacques. 
 
 " Are you insulting me? " asked Sorfege, mad with 
 passion. 
 
 " I told you not to insist," resumed Jacques calm- 
 ly. " You have nothing to gain by doing so. I am 
 astonished at your obstinacy, for you used to be far 
 more clear-sighted. But as you will have the deci- 
 sive words used, you shall be satisfied. When a man 
 has acted toward a friend (who received him with 
 open arms, and unfolded to him all his aspirations 
 and plans, in full confidence and trust) in the man- 
 ner you have acted toward me, that man is the most 
 infamous scoundrel imaginable, Monsieur de Sorfege. 
 I have met at the bagnio, from which I have just 
 
 395 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 returned, a great number of villainous characters, 
 but I have never come across one so base as you! " 
 
 " Then this is what you want, is it? A duel, 
 which if successful, would restore you to your former 
 position in society? " 
 
 " Do not deceive yourself, sir, I do not seek an 
 encounter with you. Altho I judge j'ou, I disdain 
 to punish you." 
 
 " Have you turned coward? " sneered Sorfege. 
 "Just the thing to complete the change in you." 
 
 "I have become patient," said Jacques quietly, 
 " as I am now proving. " 
 
 " Very well ! Let us see if you are the most pa- 
 tient man living! " 
 
 He advanced three paces, and raising his arm, at- 
 tempted to strike his former friend in the face. In 
 a moment Jacques's countenance changed and as- 
 sumed a terrible expression. Seizing Sorfege's wrist, 
 he flung him forcibly back, and with a cry of fury 
 exclaimed : 
 
 " Do you want me to kill you? " 
 
 Suddenly he became calm, released the count, and 
 addressing Miss Harvey said: 
 
 " Pardon me, I had no intention of having you 
 witness a scene of violence, but my hand has been 
 forced." 
 
 Sorfege turned toward Maud, and with unflinching 
 audacity said: 
 
 " I have promised you proofs. Miss Harvey ; what- 
 ever happens, I will give them to you." 
 
 He gave a slight nod to Julius, and with a look of 
 hatred at Tragomer, Marenval, and Jacques, said: 
 
 396 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 "We shall meet again, gentlemen." 
 
 "I hope not, for your own sake," said Marenval, 
 in disdain. 
 
 Sorfege made no reply, but walked to the door and 
 left the room. This was a relief to all present. 
 Miss Harvey drew near her father, and with a forced 
 smile said: 
 
 " You will, I think, pardon me for not following 
 your advice, and for wishing to marry this man? 
 Your first impression had not deceived you; you 
 judged aright." 
 
 " My dear girl, a man who cared for neither dogs, 
 horses, nor sailing; who despised business, and 
 never looked one in the face, could not by any means 
 be an honest man. You were free; I left you to 
 yourself. But you will give your brothers great 
 pleasure, I imagine, if you let them know that you 
 have rejected this suitor." 
 
 "A snob! " murmured Marenval. " He called me 
 a snob! Well! Tragomer, I promise you he shall 
 pay dearly for the insult. " 
 
 "Hush," said Christian in a low voice; "it is the 
 time for action, not for recrimination. Everything 
 is to be dreaded from such a man as Sorfege so long 
 as you have not thoroughly crushed him. You saw 
 with what energy he defended himself. Let us leave 
 Jacques here and call on Vesin. " 
 
 The cowboys had just entered the room, and al- 
 most threw the shoulders of their father's guests 
 out of joint by their vigorous handshakes. Tra- 
 gomer and Marenval slipped away during this di- 
 version. On the way out, they heard Miss Maud 
 
 397 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 say to Jacques de Fr^neuse, who was seated by her 
 side: 
 
 " Your mother and sister will be very anxious to 
 learn the result of this enterprise. I should like to 
 make their acquaintance. Won't you take me to see 
 them? " 
 
 Jacques replied: 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 Descending the staircase, Marenval halted, and 
 said slyly to his companion : 
 
 " Do you know what I think, Christian? Miss 
 Maud is in danger of falling in love with our friend. 
 She is as romantic as a German girl. " 
 
 " And she would not object to become a French- 
 woman. " 
 
 On leaving the house, Sorfege trembled with fury. 
 Out on the pavement, in the open air, he relieved 
 his feelings by swearing in such a way as to scanda- 
 lize a policeman on his beat. At first he walked 
 straight ahead, without knowing where he was go- 
 ing. His blood was boiling and his head seemed 
 ready to burst. The cold, calculating man had lost 
 all his sang-froid. He was passing through one of 
 those moments when one counts as nothing another's 
 life, or even his own. If with a single word he 
 could have annihilated the Harvey home, with all it 
 contained, the insult he had just swallowed would 
 have been adequately avenged. He went along 
 rapidly for several minutes, then stopped suddenly. 
 He had reached Whitehall. Plunged in profound 
 
 398 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 reflection, he walked up and down in front of the 
 palace. 
 
 Notwithstanding his precautions and stratagem, 
 everything was coming to naught, all through that 
 wretched Fr6neuse. All the lies and treachery he 
 had massed to ruin him had been without avail. 
 Flung into an abyss so deep that it seemed impossi- 
 ble he should ever escape, Jacques had returned to 
 light, liberty, and happiness. And he, Sorfege, was 
 now powerless to prevent this change of fortune! 
 A distinct plan of vengeance came to his mind ; he 
 would strike his enemy, even tho he fell at the same 
 time. In his present condition it was double or quits. 
 Gambler as he was, he did not hesitate, and was 
 willing to risk the sacrifice of his life if only he 
 could crush Jacques. 
 
 He determined to call once more on Jenny Haw- 
 kins. She alone was to assure his triumph or his 
 fall. She alone was capable of furnishing him with 
 the means of defending himself. If only she were 
 willing, if he could once more succeed in mastering 
 her, either by persuasion or violence, things might 
 not yet be altogether beyond hope. Turning in the 
 direction of the Strand, he made his way toward 
 Tavistock Street. It was four o'clock when he 
 passed in front of Charing Cross. 
 
 Walking along, he mused : Before leaving for the 
 theater, Jenny will dine at home as usual. If she 
 was out when I called this morning, she will cer- 
 tainly be back at this hour. At whatever cost, by 
 some means or other, I must have an interview with 
 her, if only for a quarter of an hour. Let me sim- 
 
 399 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 ply see her, let my eyes fasten on hers, and I will 
 force her to obey me. Her will shall be paralyzed 
 by mine. 
 
 On reaching the house, he noticed with evident 
 satisfaction that the man in rags was no longer in 
 the vestibule. On ascending the stairs he rang the 
 bell. No reply. The same silence suggested com- 
 plete abandonment. He paused on the landing. 
 No manifestation of life in the room. Sorfege trem- 
 bled at the idea that Jenny had perhaps already left 
 the house so as not to run the risk of meeting him. 
 If Jacques had obtained her promise to remove, how 
 could he find her in that mighty city? Time was 
 flying and danger increasing. At whatever cost, 
 he must prevent the betrayal becoming complete. 
 If Jenny had spoken, it was of vital importance to 
 prevent her writing. To do this he must see her. 
 The door remained closed, and the apartment seemed 
 to be unoccupied. He said to himself: 
 
 " Tho I wait here till night I will see her." 
 
 He sat down on one of the stairs in darkness and 
 solitude, in ambush, like a hunter on the watch. 
 
 After a moment's pause he said aloud : 
 
 " Fool that she is to be afraid of me, when I come 
 to save her, while the others are deceiving and ruin- 
 ing her. " 
 
 Not a breath, not a footfall revealed the presence 
 of a living being in the apartment. Sorbge grew 
 terribly uneasy. Quivering with impatience, he 
 said: 
 
 " Even if I have to break in the door, I will find 
 out if she is hiding from me. " 
 
 400 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 He sprang up, and gave the wooden panel such 
 a blow that it split from top to bottom. At that 
 instant the door opened, and Jenny, exceedingly 
 pale and anxious, appeared on the threshold. With 
 a sigh, she pointed to the apartment, and said in 
 tired tones : 
 
 " Since I can not escape your persecution, enter." 
 
 Without a word he glided into the room, pleased 
 at his success over her resistance, which he felt 
 augured well from this first advantage. He took a 
 seat in the small salon without waiting to be asked, 
 and as she stood there with arms folded, looking 
 anxiously at him, he said in sarcastic tones : 
 
 " So you have gone over to the enemy, have you? 
 What have they promised you to make you turn 
 against me?" 
 
 She made no reply, and he continued : 
 
 " Doubtless, they have assured you immunity? 
 But how will that be possible? With L6a P6relli 
 alive, Jeanne Baud is under ground. And if it is Lea 
 who has placed her there, it is no longer Jacques de 
 Fr^neuse. In what way, by what intrigue, can the 
 one be innocent and the other spared? " 
 
 In plaintive tones she asked : 
 
 " What makes you imagine I want to be spared? " 
 
 " Then you wish, of your own accord, to atone for 
 your crime? " 
 
 Proudly raising her head, and looking at him with 
 flashing eyes, she said : 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 " Have you become so low-spirited that you no 
 longer care to defend yourself? " 
 26 401 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " I have had enough of deception, of flight, and 
 mystery. Anything rather than recommence the 
 life I have been spending the last two years." 
 
 "Ah! Why should you complain? Fortune has 
 never favored you so lavishly. You have become 
 both famous and rich. One might almost imagine 
 that the shedding of blood is necessary to happiness ! 
 And you attach no importance to all these lucky 
 chances. Come now, reflect a little; it is well 
 worth while." 
 
 " I am tired of being a living lie ! " 
 
 " Would it be any better if you were a dead sincer- 
 ity. You are wandering, my dear. Do you know 
 what will happen to you if you play the game Fre- 
 neuse's clique have advised you to play? At the 
 very least, several years' imprisonment, perhaps the 
 scaffold! " 
 
 "Very well!" 
 
 " Come, Jenny, we are not playing the fourth act 
 of 'La Juive.' There is no necessity to go in for 
 such musical graces in some great song. Matters 
 are real and serious. Such a thing has happened, 
 and may very well happen again. Do not sport with 
 justice. For there is no mercy to be found there, 
 and artistic laurels are of no value. These judges 
 with their mantles of ermine will condemn you with- 
 out pity if you allow yourself to be caught. Just 
 listen to me reasonably for a quarter of an hour only, 
 then I will leave you free to act as you wish. Is that 
 understood? In the first place, what did Jacques 
 say to you? What have you promised him? You 
 met last night, I suppose, after that cursed soiree? 
 
 402 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 You had not met for some time previously, and the 
 utmost cordiality was doubtless manifested on both 
 sides! He must be terribly angry with you. And 
 he will feel no more tenderly toward me! Under- 
 stand one thing, my dear, our fates are closely allied 
 to one another, and if our enemies strike me, they 
 strike you with the same blow." 
 
 He had continued to speak at leisure ; not once had 
 she tried to stop him. Leaning against the mantel- 
 piece, her right elbow resting on the marble slab, 
 she was playing mechanically with a long steel hat- 
 pin, with a gold head, inlaid with sapphires. She 
 was engaged in repeatedly thrusting the sharp point 
 of the pin into the plush cover before her, and 
 seemed to be paying no attention whatever to So- 
 rege. He did not lose patience, for he knew that 
 with that violent and inconsiderate nature he could 
 only gain his end by artifice and deceit. Without 
 being discouraged he continued: 
 
 " Evidently Jacques's object was to obtain a confes- 
 sion from you. If he suspected how matters had 
 been worked in the rough, he wanted to find out the 
 details of the plot, which would give full force to 
 facts, and carry conviction to one's mind. Did he 
 make you disclose anything? . . . What did you 
 tell him? How did he succeed in convincing you? 
 What part did he play? Perhaps he pretended to 
 love you still? " 
 
 At this final insinuation, uttered in soft, mild 
 tones, he saw a quiver come over her face. Un- 
 derstanding that he had hit the mark, he contin- 
 ued: 
 
 403 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 "What do tender confessions of love cost him? 
 He knows how credulous you are, and how often he 
 has taken advantage of this feeling. A few caress- 
 ing words, a promise to forget, hope of reconcilia- 
 tion, perhaps. You would start off far away, forget 
 the past two years, and remember nothing but the 
 old love. Was it so? " 
 
 Lea's face became deadly pale. Her eyes looked 
 darker than ever, and she panted for breath. She 
 was suffering cruelly. Then, with a laugh ringing 
 with vengeance, he continued: 
 
 " Yes, doubtless I am right. And you were caught 
 in the snare ! Come ! It was quite time I saw you 
 and brought you back to your senses! " 
 
 Raising her head, she said slowly : 
 
 " That is true, it was indeed time! " 
 
 "Ah! you see! " he exclaimed in triumph. 
 
 She looked at him in haughty disdain : 
 
 " You misunderstand me. The whole of this day 
 which I have just spent locked in my room, reflect- 
 ing on the past, has been a very disagreeable time 
 for me. Danger makes one suspicious, and I know 
 that I am in danger. The worry of protecting one- 
 self makes one cowardly. In spite of the promises 
 I had received, a feeling of anguish came over me, 
 as I wondered if I were not the victim of some 
 treachery or other. I was deliberating in my mind 
 whether I should keep to the engagement I had made, 
 or should make my escape. Up to the time of your 
 arrival, I hesitated. Now my mind is made up." 
 
 "You will leave?" 
 
 "No, I shall stay." 
 
 404 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 " You will ruin yourself if you do! " 
 
 " But I shall save an innocent man." 
 
 " You are mad ! " 
 
 " You have already told me so, and at times I have 
 almost believed it. But you have just restored to 
 me respect for truth and justice. In these few min- 
 utes you have shown yourself so crafty and coward- 
 I5' in character that I can no longer think of aban- 
 doning the man you pursue with such implacable 
 hatred. Between Jacques's safety and my own, I 
 am ashamed to say that I was wavering. You now 
 give me your advice, and all doubt and irresolution 
 have vanished. To give myself up once more to 
 such a monster as you are would render my crime 
 infinitely more heinous than it is." 
 
 He started at the insult, and, leaping to his feet, 
 said: 
 
 " Is this the manner in which you repay me for 
 the sacrifices I have rendered you? I have compro- 
 mised myself for your sake, and now you give me 
 up to my enemies! " 
 
 " I have been nothing but an instrument of hate 
 in your skilful hands ; I know it now. You were the 
 one to plot out the crime I committed. You are 
 more responsible for it than I am. You did not com- 
 promise yourself to save me, you ruined me for your 
 own satisfaction. We were two at the game. In the 
 end it is I who have been your dupe and victim, 
 always in revolt, and now implacable! " 
 
 He said, in sneering accents : 
 
 " Nonsense ! Let us get at the truth ! What 
 weapon will you give your hero against me? " 
 
 405 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " A written confession, signed by myself, testify- 
 ing to his innocence and my guilt. " 
 
 He took a step forward. 
 
 " Where is this paper? " 
 
 " What does that matter to you? " 
 
 " You will hand it over to me at once." 
 
 "Never! 
 
 " Ah, you foolish creature, take care ! You must 
 know me well enough to be certain that I shall not 
 hesitate to crush you, if necessary; for my own 
 safety." 
 
 " You may look, you will find nothing." 
 
 " Have you already sent it? " 
 
 "Yes, this morning. " 
 
 " You lie ; you said you had wavered, hesitated, till 
 I came ! " 
 
 Seeing herself baffled, she gave a start, and in- 
 stinctively turned her eyes toward a blotting-pad ly- 
 ing on a table near the window. With a bound he 
 was across the room, and in spite of all her efforts to 
 prevent him, holding her off with one hand and feel- 
 ing with the other, he seized hold of a letter on 
 which was written Jacques's name. 
 
 He stood there, somber and threatening, looked at 
 L6a for several moments, and said : 
 
 "So this is it! I never thought you would have 
 dared to denounce me." 
 
 "What is the use of taking it?" exclaimed the 
 singer angrily. " If you destroy it, I can write an- 
 other!" 
 
 "I will take precautions against such an event. 
 Sit down at this table ! ..." 
 
 406 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 He pointed to a table on which lay the crumpled 
 blotting-pad. She made no reply. He approached 
 her, seized her by the wrist, and thrusting her into 
 the chair in front of the table, said : 
 
 "Now write." 
 
 " What shall I write? " 
 
 " Simply this : ' The pretended confession obtained 
 by M. de Fr^neuse was extorted from me under a 
 threat of death. Free and mistress of myself, I 
 make a complete retraction. I have never com- 
 mitted the crime of which he has compelled me to 
 accuse myself. ' " 
 
 She looked at him quietly, and then said: 
 
 " After? " 
 
 "That is all." 
 
 She stood upright. They were face to face, free 
 from any further constraint, breathing hatred and 
 violence. 
 
 " If you do not write it, you vile wretch, I will 
 kill you!" 
 
 Seizing her hand, he pressed it with all his might. 
 Lea turned livid with anger and pain combined ; she 
 struggled, but he held her as tho in a vise. She 
 exclaimed : 
 
 " You are hurting me ! Let me go ! Release me ! " 
 
 "Obey!" 
 
 "I will not!" 
 
 "Obey!" 
 
 She shrieked aloud, and twisted about; her eyes 
 filled with tears. 
 
 " Have mercy ! you are torturing me, you cow- 
 ard! " 
 
 407 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 " Obey, you brute ; I will break your arm if you 
 do not obey me ! " 
 
 He was terrible to behold in his fury, and a mur- 
 derous look appeared in his eyes. In mad distrac- 
 tion, she fell on her knees. Close by, the long steel 
 pin, with sapphire-mounted head, which had fallen 
 to the ground during the struggle — a real stiletto — 
 lay shining on the carpet. Stretching out her hand, 
 she seized it, and stood upright again. With a blow 
 he again thrust her toward the table. 
 
 " Come, make haste ! I have no time for sport ; 
 your hand is not bruised or numbed so much that 
 you can not write. . . . Write ! . . . " As she still 
 stood there, motionless and stupefied, he struck her 
 a violent blow on the shoulder, and said : 
 
 "Are we to begin again? ... By thunder! I 
 will. ..." 
 
 Not another word did he utter. With a cry of 
 rage, L^a had turned round and struck him in the 
 throat with the long needle. The blade disap- 
 peared beneath the collar; Sor^ge remained stand- 
 ing, with eyes fixed and mouth open, a stupid smile 
 on his lips. He threw apart his arms, wildly beat- 
 ing the air. Then he tried to tear out the murder- 
 ous weapon piercing him, tottered forward a few 
 steps, then his knees gave way, and he fell with a 
 horrible groan. His breast struck the carpet, and 
 the shock drove the pin into the body right up to 
 its sapphire head. A convulsive quiver ran through 
 him, causing him to turn on his back, then all was 
 quiet. 
 
 Bending over him with a feeling of horror, L6a 
 408 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 saw a terrible grimace on the face of the corpse. 
 Not a drop of blood had been shed. The pin had 
 hermetically closed the wound, and the point had 
 penetrated right to the heart. With furtive steps, 
 as tho afraid of waking him from his frightful sleep, 
 Lea threw a mantle over her shoulders, opened the 
 door, and, fleeing from the man who, lying there 
 in death, terrified her even more than in life, she 
 escaped into the street. Unconsciously, she pro- 
 ceeded in the direction of her theater. It was six 
 o'clock. As she passed before the doorkeeper the 
 latter said : 
 
 "Ah, madam, you are ahead of time! Here is 
 your key. The dresser has not yet come. Are you 
 dining in your box? " 
 
 She made no reply, but ascended the stairs lead- 
 ing to the first floor. At the end of a long passage 
 she opened a door, and entered the room which she 
 made use of as a salon. There she sat in the dark- 
 ness, with a feeling of dull despair, then burst into 
 a torrent of tears. 
 
 That evening Miss Harvey reached the theater in 
 good time, and appeared in her box as soon as the 
 curtain had risen. Capulet was introducing his 
 daughter to the lords and nobles assembled in the 
 place. Juliet smiled, but the grace and beauty of 
 her countenance was veiled by a look of sadness. 
 She sang her valse with a feverish brilliancy; the 
 meeting with Romeo won her a double round of ap- 
 
 409 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 plause. She neither bowed her thanks nor ap- 
 peared to notice this enthusiastic greeting. 
 
 In accents of profound sadness she uttered the line : 
 
 "The tomb shall be our bridal bed." 
 
 The curtain fell, and remained down in spite of 
 the enthusiastic clapping and cheering from the pit. 
 Never had Rovelli and Jenny Hawkins sung better; 
 that was the unanimous sentiment of all present. 
 The performance began in a way to warrant suc- 
 cess. Julius and his two sons were in the box, in 
 which also a place had been reserved for Marenval. 
 Tragomer and Jacques had taken a corner box, so as 
 to be out of sight. They had dined with Madame de 
 Fr^neuse, and had been so happy in that tender 
 family intimacy that the hours had sped on, rapidly 
 and unnoticed, and it was striking eleven when they 
 entered the theater. 
 
 The fourth act was drawing to a close. Trago- 
 mer, at the fall of the curtain, went over to Harvey's 
 box, while Jacques made for the greenroom. Ac- 
 cording to promise, he was to receive from Jenny 
 Hawkins the written declaration, which was to be 
 an invincible protection for him. Accompanied by 
 an usher he reached the first floor, and through a 
 hot and perfumed atmosphere proceeded along 
 the passage and halted in front of a door, at which 
 his conductor knocked. The dresser opened, and 
 Jacques saw the singer stretched out on a sofa, sur- 
 rounded with bouquets and baskets of flowers. Pale 
 and motionless, in Juliet's nuptial robe, she re- 
 sembled Capulet's daughter, sunk in a. death-like 
 
 410 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 sleep. She made not a movement as she saw 
 Jacques enter. A sad smile played on her lips as 
 she said gently : 
 
 " You are very late, mon ami. I have had a great 
 success. Look at these flowers; I am an object of 
 admiration and envy. ... I am a beautiful idol, 
 am I not? Who would not like to change places 
 with me? " 
 
 The dresser left the room. Scarcely was the door 
 closed, than L^a leaped to her feet, and a complete 
 change came over her, as with contracted features 
 and quivering voice she drew Jacques into the most 
 remote corner of the room, and said : 
 
 " Look at me attentively. . . . Do you not see 
 anything strange in my glance? Am I the same 
 woman? " 
 
 "What is the matter with you?" asked Jacques, 
 startled at her agitation. " What has happened? " 
 
 "What was fated should happen," she said with 
 unsteady eyes. " Sorfege came to see me. ..." 
 
 " And you received him? " 
 
 " I was obliged to do so ! He threatened to wait 
 for me till I left the room. I could not escape him ; 
 one can not flee from the inevitable ! I had told you 
 so. ... I knew it, my fate was marked out before- 
 hand." 
 
 " What did he dare to do? " asked Jacques, begin- 
 ning to feel uneasy. 
 
 " All he was capable of doing. ..." 
 
 Pushing back her bracelets, she showed the marks 
 of Sorfege's fingers beneath the white of the powder. 
 
 " He almost broke my arms in trying to force me 
 411 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 to disavow my declaration. . . . He would have 
 killed me, I believe. ..." 
 
 " And you obeyed him? " 
 
 She looked up into Jacques's eyes, and with a smile 
 which brought back to his memory the tender, faith- 
 ful L6a of bygone days, said : 
 
 " I did not obey him, Jacques, not because I cared 
 for my own life, but for yours." 
 
 " Well? " 
 
 Lowering her voice, she said affrightedly : 
 
 " I had to choose between him and myself, Jacques. 
 I did choose. He will never harm another in this 
 world. The declaration I was to hand you this 
 evening is in his pocket; there you will find it. 
 I did not dare to take it. . . . He is lying there 
 stretched out in the salon of my apartment in Tavi- 
 stock Street; his eyes starting from their sockets, 
 and a threatening expression still on his mouth. ..." 
 
 " You have killed him? " 
 
 " Hush ! It must not be known till to-morrow. I 
 must be free until the end of the opera. I have not 
 yet finished the task for which I am paid. I must 
 sing ; to-night the audience has gone wild over me, 
 and rightly so. " 
 
 An uncertain look came over her as she thus 
 spoke. Jacques imagined that her brain, too se- 
 verely taxed by all the trials she had undergone, 
 had lost its balance, and that she was going mad. 
 He thought of calling some one, as he did not believe 
 what she was saying. But he saw in the poor wom- 
 an's eyes a look of such frightful despair that he 
 had a presentiment of impending misfortune. 
 
 412 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 Along the passage, the call-boy's voice was heard 
 shouting out : 
 
 " On the stage for the last act. " 
 
 As he passed by the door he said : 
 
 " Miss Hawkins, may we commence? " 
 
 She replied quietly : 
 
 " I am coming." 
 
 Taking from one of the baskets of flowers a white 
 orchid with red spots, she offered it to Jacques with 
 the words : 
 
 " Keep it in memory of me. This flower is like 
 my soul ; stained with blood spots and yet pure. ..." 
 
 " L6a," said Jacques terrified, " ask for a moment's 
 respite. You are no longer mistress of your- 
 self. ..." 
 
 "No! I have never been more sure of myself. . . . 
 This is the death act, Jacques; you will see how well 
 I shall sing it. Go, hear me to the end ! You must 
 do as I say! " 
 
 He wished to calm her and hold her back. 
 
 "L^a!" 
 
 She looked at him for several seconds, smiled once 
 more, then with a passionate gesture flung herself 
 into his arms and said : 
 
 " Kiss me, do kiss me ! This is the last time we 
 shall ever see one another. Let me take away with 
 me the memory of your lips on my brow." 
 
 He gently gave in to her caprice. Then, with ex- 
 traordinary force, she pressed him to her heart and 
 exclaimed : 
 
 " Oh, if you had always loved me ! I would live 
 on and be happy ! " 
 
 413 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Waving her hand in despair, she added: 
 
 " Ah !. it is too late now ! Adieu ! " 
 
 She flung him a final kiss, and ran out of the room. 
 The sublime prelude of the death act was being 
 played solemnly by the orchestra. Jacques, anxious 
 and troubled, returned to his box and rejoined 
 Tragomer. The act had begun, and Romeo was 
 singing. Jacques leaned over to Christian and 
 whispered to him : 
 
 " I do not know what is going to happen, but Lea 
 has lost her reason. She has just told me that 
 Sorfege called this afternoon, and threatened and 
 struck her, and that she had killed him." 
 
 "Good Heavens!" said Tragomer; "what then?" 
 
 " Look at her ! ... Is she ' not frightful to be- 
 hold? ..." 
 
 The pallor of death on her cheeks, Juliet was ri- 
 sing from her funeral couch, to fall into her lover's 
 arms. In a tone of voice which sounded as tho 
 muffled by the twilight of eternal night, she told her 
 joy at waking again on his breast. Then the poison 
 began to take effect, and Romeo began to faint and 
 turn pale. She held him there forcibly, bending 
 over him with an expression of poignant grief, as 
 tho reproaching herself for this death he was dying 
 for love of her. She tore from Romeo's girdle the 
 dagger attached to it, and fixing thereon a glance of 
 happy relief, she sang forth in a cry of deliverance, 
 the line : 
 
 " Oh ! happy blade ! Thou art my sole resource !" 
 
 With firm, resolute arm she brought down the 
 414 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 dagger on the very spot where Sorege had been 
 struck. She still remained standing, but her voice 
 died away on her lips. A streak of blood escaped 
 from her throat on to the white robe. Then a mask 
 of darkness came over her eyes. At that instant, 
 Rovelli arose, and rushed to his companion, exclaim- 
 ing: 
 
 " Help ! She is wounded ! " 
 
 Shrieks of horror arose from every part of the 
 theater. The spectators stood upright and looked 
 on terrified. The singer slowly waved her hand as 
 tho to say that nothing could be done. A final 
 smile played on her lips, her last thought being for 
 Jacques. In that memorable moment her beauty 
 shone forth with such brilliancy that a profound si- 
 lence fell upon the two thousand spectators and the 
 final sigh could be heard as it escaped her lips. She 
 tottered like a broken flower, and on the very stage 
 where she had triumphed in the glory of her art and 
 the sublimity of her sacrifice she fell dead. 
 
 Inspector Melville, of. Scotland Yard, summoned 
 by telephone, had at once visited the singer's rooms 
 in Tavistock Street. There, stretched on the carpet, 
 in the salon, lay Sorfege, a horrible grimace on his 
 livid countenance. In the pocket of his frock-coat 
 the declaration written by Jenny Hawkins testifying 
 to Jacques's innocence had been found, and was 
 handed over to the French Embassy by the London 
 police. Vesin started back for Paris to hurry on the 
 revision of the trial. The Harveys, on their yacht, 
 
 415 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 Marenval, Tragomer, and Fr6neuse's family on the 
 Magic, set off together for Cowes. 
 
 In the intimacy of an active and free existence, 
 sailing out in the open, or at anchor in the Solent 
 Roads, the young people spent two delightful 
 months. Mademoiselle de Fr6neuse's beauty, re- 
 vived by happiness and hope, shone forth with re- 
 newed radiance. She showed herself full of affec- 
 tion and love for Christian, as tho determined to 
 make him forget her past severity. 
 
 Jacques, now quite gentle and looking rather 
 grave, so different from his former self that it would 
 have been impossible to recognize him as the same 
 man, found great consolation and pleasure in con- 
 versing with Miss Harvey, who never tired of ask- 
 ing him to relate to her his past life and adventures. 
 He acknowledged his faults and errors, and told the 
 tale of his sufferings with a humility and emotion 
 which went to the young girl's heart. Only by row- 
 ing and riding did he regain the vigor and ardor of 
 his youth. Even then, he was only induced to take 
 this exercise by the eager entreaties of his friends 
 and his mother's prayers. Madam de Fr^neuse, 
 anxious over Jacques's religious inclinations and de- 
 siring to see him take renewed interest in natural 
 life, encouraged her son's intimacy with Maud. But 
 it was soon seen that even in this time of joy, none 
 of the projects he had formed and ripened in the 
 hours of his anguish could be changed. 
 
 The month of August was drawing to a close, and 
 Julius Harvey announced his intention of reaching 
 Portsmouth, for the purpose of obtaining a fresh 
 
 416 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 supply of provisions and coal, before crossing to 
 America. He had business to attend to in his own 
 country, and the cowboys were obliged to return to 
 the prairie to superintend the ranch. Miss Maud 
 resigned herself to accompany her father ; however, 
 she would have liked Madame and Mademoiselle de 
 Fr^neuse and Jacques to accompany them. 
 
 " The trial which will prove your son's innocence 
 will not take place for several months. What will 
 you do in the mean time? If you return to France 
 you will be obliged to live there in a very retired 
 way, and M. de Frdneuse will in all probability be 
 obliged to surrender to the authorities. Until a new 
 verdict has been pronounced he will still be looked 
 upon as guilty. Come with us then to New York. 
 . . . We will let my father and my brothers go on to 
 Dakota, while we settle down quietly at Newport. 
 M. de Tragomer will accompany us; as for M. 
 Marenval, I believe he is anxious to return to Paris. " 
 
 "Come along, Tragomer," said the cowboys; "we 
 will go shooting bisons on the uplands. There are 
 still a few fine herds left, and we will camp in tents 
 with the Cherokees. . . . You will see some of the 
 finest horses in the world, capable of running twenty- 
 four hours at a stretch. . . . We will go salmon- 
 fishing in the creeks. . . . There are some fine 
 spots in which monsters dating from the deluge may 
 be taken! . . . Come along, Tragomer, come! 
 Once Jacques touches American soil we will make a 
 new man of him. . . . He is a fine sportsman ; we 
 must never let him turn vicar ! " 
 
 The final attempt was made by Miss Maud herself. 
 27 417 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 One evening, while walking about the deck of the 
 Magic, in the Cowes Roads, with Jacques, she came 
 to a sudden stop, and leaned her elbow on the gun- 
 wale of the yacht. A phosphorescent glow spread 
 over the sea. On every hand, electric beams 
 marked the positions of the vessels at anchor, while 
 a light, warm wind could be heard whistling through 
 the rigging. Innumerable stars covered the sky 
 with their flashes of pale gold. It was a delightfully 
 serene night. The young girl, nibbling at a rose, 
 was leaning over the side of the vessel, looking at 
 the sea, without uttering a word; Jacques, by her 
 side, was absent-mindedly listening to music in the 
 distance. Suddenly Miss Maud fastened a penetra- 
 ting glance on Jacques's face, and said : 
 
 " Monsieur de Fr^neuse, I must speak clearly to 
 you this evening, so that later on I may not have 
 any mental reservations or regrets. You have 
 formed plans regarding yourself of a nature to afflict 
 both your mother and your sister, without mention- 
 ing your friends, in whose number we may hold a 
 place. The influence and authority over you to 
 which the latter lay claim is very feeble compared to 
 that of these two ladies who have bewailed your 
 future so bitterly. Still, there is such an affection 
 as might have a decisive influence over a man's life. 
 The one who is the object of such a feeling ought to 
 know it. " 
 
 She paused, slightly troubled, both by the impor- 
 tance of the confidence she was about to impart and 
 the difficulty of completing it. But she was bold 
 and determined, and she continued fearlessly : 
 
 418 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING 
 
 "You have committed many mistakes, but your 
 great sufferings have atoned for them all. You are, 
 accordingly, free with regard to yourself. When 
 you see the grief of your family at your wish to re- 
 nounce the world, why do you persist in your reso- 
 lution? You owe some compensation to those who 
 have suffered for your sake. Finally, if a woman, 
 moved by your misfortiines, and touched by your 
 atonement, sincerely devoted to you, offered to 
 soothe the secret wounds of your heart and heal 
 them, and found her whole happiness in making 
 you again the man you ought to have been, would 
 you refuse her proffered love? " 
 
 Proudly raising her forehead, in an attitude of de- 
 termined intelligence, she continued : 
 
 " I am that woman ; I love you and offer you my 
 hand. If you will give me yours in return, you will 
 find in me a resolute and devoted companion for life. 
 I will help you to accomplish the good it is your 
 dream to render humanity, for the evil it has be- 
 stowed on you. All I ask you to do is to give me a 
 frank reply, for I suffer from not knowing whether 
 I am to be glad or resigned. Say Yes, and I will go 
 with you to see my father, and I will kiss your 
 mother with all my heart. Say No, and I will leave 
 to-morrow, so that you may not be witness of my 
 tears." 
 
 She held out her hand. In the clear moonlight 
 he saw how pale she was, and that her eyes were 
 full of tears. Bowing with respectful sorrow, he 
 replied: 
 
 " Even tho my sincerity grieve you, Miss Maud, I 
 419 
 
IN DEEP ABYSS 
 
 will obey you and speak frankly. I am touched to 
 the depths of my heart by your generous and chari- 
 table afifection. You have been tempted, . . . which 
 is only womanly, ... by the work of love and pity 
 to be accomplished with regard to an unhappy man 
 like myself. But I judge myself more severely than 
 you do. I know what depths of depravity still re- 
 main in this heart, which you believe to be now 
 pure. I can better measure the depths of my fall, 
 and I do not believe that even an angel, such as you 
 are, can redeem me so easily. I do not feel myself 
 to be worthy of you. Miss Harvey ; with humility I 
 confess it, tho I weep with gratitude at your good- 
 ness of heart." 
 
 He had taken her hand, which he raised, wet with 
 tears, to his lips. He continued in trembling tones : 
 
 " Finally, I must tell you, as I have already told 
 my other friends, I am no longer free to dispose of 
 my life. I made a vow, at the gravest moment of 
 my existence, when my salvation or destruction was 
 being decided ; I swore to devote myself to the serv- 
 ice of God, if He would permit me again to see my 
 family and my country, and to prove my innocence. 
 He has heard my prayer. I no longer belong to 
 myself: I belong to Him, who, after punishing me 
 in His justice, has had sovereign pity on me. Par- 
 don me, Miss Maud. If any woman on earth could 
 accomplish the work you have dreamed of, that 
 woman is indeed yourself. God alone has been pre- 
 ferred before you ! " 
 
 She looked at him once more for the last time, 
 understood that there was no hope, and, heaving a 
 
 420 
 
THE DAY OF RECKONING,.,,.., 
 
 sigh, let fall into the sea the flower her lips were 
 touching, while at the same time there faded away 
 into an empty void the dreams of her imagination. 
 Only one word did she utter : 
 
 "Adieu!" 
 
 And, gliding along the deck, like a shadow, she 
 passed out of sight. 
 
 The following morning Julius Harvey's yacht 
 weighed anchor and steamed away toward America. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 421