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this moment！〃 she exclaimed indignantly。 The mother rose in
silence； and opened a cupboard。 Its position was opposite to the
place in which Stella was sitting。 She saw two or three knives
and forks； some cups and saucers and plates； and a folded
table…cloth。 Nothing else appeared on the shelves； not even the
stray crust of bread for which the poor woman had been looking。
〃Go； my dear； and quiet your brother；〃 she saidand closed the
cupboard door again as patiently as ever。
Stella opened her pocketbook when Blanche had left the room。 〃For
God's sake； take something！〃 she cried。 〃 I offer it with the
sincerest respectI offer it as a loan。〃
Madame Marillac gently signed to Stella to close the pocketbook
again。 〃That kind heart of yours must not be distressed about
trifles；〃 she said。 〃The baker will trust us until we get the
money for our workand my daughter knows it。 If you can tell me
nothing else； my dear； will you tell me your Christian name？ It
is painful to me to speak to you quite as a stranger。〃
Stella at once complied with the request。 Madame Marillac smiled
as she repeated the name。
〃There is almost another tie between us；〃 she said。 〃We have your
name in Franceit speaks with a familiar sound to me in this
strange place。 Dear Miss Stella； when my poor boy startled you by
that cry for food； he recalled to me the saddest of all my
anxieties。 When I think of him； I should be tempted if my better
sense did not restrain me No！ no！ put back the pocketbook。 I am
incapable of the shameless audacity of borrowing a sum of money
which I could never repay。 Let me tell you what my trouble is；
and you will understand that I am in earnest。 I had two sons；
Miss Stella。 The elderthe most lovable； the most affectionate
of my childrenwas killed in a duel。〃
The sudden disclosure drew a cry of sympathy from Stella； which
she was not mistress enough of herself to repress。 Now for the
first time she understood the remorse that tortured Romayne； as
she had not understood it when Lady Loring had told her the
terrible story of the duel。 Attributing the effect produced on
her to the sensitive nature of a young woman； Madame Marillac
innocently added to Stella's distress by making excuses。
〃I am sorry to have frightened you； my dear；〃 she said。 〃In your
happy country such a dreadful death as my son's is unknown。 I am
obliged to mention it； or you might not understand what I have
still to say。 Perhaps I had better not go on？〃
Stella roused herself。 〃Yes！ yes！〃 she answered； eagerly。 〃Pray
go on！〃
〃My son in the next room；〃 the widow resumed； 〃is only fourteen
years old。 It has pleased God sorely to afflict a harmless
creature。 He has not been in his right mind sincesince the
miserable day when he followed the duelists； and saw his
brother's death。 Oh！ you are turning pale！ How thoughtless； how
cruel of me！ I ought to have remembered that such horrors as
these have never overshadowed your happy life！〃
Struggling to recover her self…control； Stella tried to reassure
Madame Marillac by a gesture。 The voice which she had heard in
the next room wasas she now knewthe voice that haunted
Romayne。 Not the words that had pleaded hunger and called for
breadbut those other words； 〃Assassin！ assassin！ where are
you？〃rang in her ears。 She entreated Madame Marillac to break
the unendurable interval of silence。 The widow's calm voice had a
soothing influence which she was eager to feel。 〃Go on！〃 she
repeated。 〃Pray go on！〃
〃I ought not to lay all the blame of my boy's affliction on the
duel；〃 said Madame Marillac。 〃In childhood； his mind never grew
with his bodily growth。 His brother's death may have only hurried
the result which was sooner or later but too sure to come。 You
need feel no fear of him。 He is never violentand he is the most
beautiful of my children。 Would you like to see him？〃
〃No！ I would rather hear you speak of him。 Is he not conscious of
his own misfortune？〃
〃For weeks together； StellaI am sure I may call you Stella？he
is quite calm； you would see no difference outwardly between him
and other boys。 Unhappily； it is just at those times that a
spirit of impatience seems to possess him。 He watches his
opportunity； and； however careful we may be； he is cunning enough
to escape our vigilance。〃
〃Do you mean that he leaves you and his sisters？〃
〃Yes； that is what I mean。 For nearly two months past he has been
away from us。 Yesterday only； his return relieved us from a state
of suspense which I cannot attempt to describe。 We don't know
where he has been； or in the company of what persons he has
passed the time of his absense。 No persuasion will induce him to
spe ak to us on the subject。 This morning we listened while he
was talking to himself。〃
〃Was it part of the boy's madness to repeat the words which still
tormented Romayne？〃 Stella asked if he ever spoke of the duel。
〃Never！ He seems to have lost all memory of it。 We only heard；
this morning； one or two unconnected wordssomething about a
woman； and then more that appeared to allude to some person's
death。 Last night I was with him when he went to bed； and I found
that he had something to conceal from me。 He let me fold all his
clothes； as usual； except his waistcoatand that he snatched
away from me； and put it under his pillow。 We have no hope of
being able to examine the waistcoat without his knowledge。 His
sleep is like the sleep of a dog； if you only approach him； he
wakes instantly。 Forgive me for troubling you with these trifling
details； only interesting to ourselves。 You will at least
understand the constant anxiety that we suffer。〃
〃In your unhappy position；〃 said Stella； 〃I should try to resign
myself to parting with himI mean to placing him under medical
care。〃
The mother's face saddened。 〃I have inquired about it；〃 she
answered。 〃He must pass a night in the workhouse before he can be
received as a pauper lunatic in a public asylum。 Oh； my dear； I
am afraid there is some pride still left in me！ He is my only son
now； his father was a General in the French army； I was brought
up among people of good blood and breedingI can't take my own
boy to the workhouse！〃
Stella understood her。 〃I feel for you with all my heart；〃 she
said。 〃Place him privately； dear Madame Marillac； under skillful
and kind controland let me； do let me； open the pocketbook
again。〃
The widow steadily refused even to look at the pocketbook。
〃Perhaps；〃 Stella persisted； 〃you don't know of a private asylum
that would satisfy you？〃
〃My dear； I do know of such a place！ The good doctor who attended
my husband in his last illness told me of it。 A friend of his
receives a certain number of poor people into his house； and
charges no more than the cost of maintaining them。 An
unattainable sum to _me！_ There is the temptation that I spoke
of。 The help of a few pounds I might accept； if I fell ill；
because I might afterward pay it back。 But a larger sumnever！〃
She rose； as if to end the interview。 Stella tried every means of
persuasion that she could think of； and tried in vain。 The
friendly dispute between them might have been prolonged； if they
had not both been silenced by another interruption from the next
room。
This time； it was not only endurable； it was even welcome。 The
poor boy was playing the air of a French vaudeville on a pipe or
flageolet。 〃Now he is happy！〃 said the mother。 〃He is a born
musician； do come and see him！〃 An idea struck Stella。 She
overcame the inveterate reluctance in her to see the boy so
fatally associated with the misery of Romayne's life。 As Madame
Marillac led the way to the door of communication between the
rooms； she quickly took from her pocketbook the bank…notes with
which she had provided herself； and folded them so that they
could be easily concealed in her hand。
She followed the widow into the little room。
The boy was sitting on his bed。 He laid down his flageolet and
bowed to Stella。 His long silky hair flowed to his shoulders。 But
one betrayal of a deranged mind presented itself in his delicate
facehis large soft eyes had the glassy； vacant look which it is
impossible to mistake。 〃Do you like music； mademoiselle？〃 he
asked； gently。 Stella as