As much attracted by that exquisite voice, now rescued from the silence of the grave, as by a burning curiosity, Godefroid offered his arm to the hand held out to him by the Baronne de Mergi, who signed to her son to precede them, charging him with a commission which he seemed to understand.

“I shall not take you far,” she said; “we live in the Allee d’Antin, in a pretty little house built in the English fashion.  We occupy it alone; each of us has a floor.  Oh! we are so comfortable.  My father thinks that you had a great deal to do with our good fortune.”

“I?”

“Yes; did you know that on a recommendation made by the minister of public instruction a chair of international law has been created for papa at the Sorbonne?  He begins his first course next November.  The great work on which he has been engaged for so long will be published this month by the firm of Cavalier and Co., who agree to share the profits with my father; they have already paid him on account thirty thousand francs.  My father bought our house with that money.  The minister of justice has awarded me a pension of twelve hundred francs as the daughter of a former judge; my father has his retiring pension of three thousand, and his professorship will give him five thousand more.  We are so economical that we are almost rich.  My dear Auguste will begin his law studies in two months; but he is already employed in the office of the attorney-general, and is earning twelve hundred francs a year.  Ah!  Monsieur Godefroid, promise me you will never speak of that unhappy affair of my poor Auguste.  As for me, I bless him every day for his action, though his grandfather has not yet forgiven him.  Yes, his mother blesses him, Halpersohn adores him, but my father is implacable!”

“What affair?” asked Godefroid.

“Ah!  I recognize your generosity,” cried Vanda.  “What a heart you have!  Your mother must be proud of you.”

She stopped as if a pain had struck her heart.

“I swear to you that I know nothing of the affair of which you speak,” said Godefroid.

“It is possible that you really did not know it?” said Vanda.  And she related naively, in terms of admiration for her son, the story of the loan that he had secured from the doctor.

“We may not speak of it before Baron Bourlac,” said Godefroid, “tell me now how your son got out of his trouble.”

“Well,” said Vanda, “I told you, I think, that he is now employed by the attorney-general, who shows him the greatest kindness.  Auguste was only forty-eight hours in the Conciergerie, where he was put into the governor’s house.  The good doctor, who did not receive a noble letter the boy wrote him till late at night, withdrew his complaint; and, through the influence of a former judge of the Royal Courts, whom my father has never been able to meet, the attorney-general was induced to annul the proceedings in the court.  There is no trace left