Juliette’s eyes grew wide with astonishment; but she doubted Noel.

“A crime?  You?” she began.

“Yes, me!  Would you know the truth?  I have committed murder, an assassination.  But it was all for you.”

The advocate felt that Juliette would certainly recoil from him in horror.  He expected that terror which a murderer inspires.  He was resigned to it in advance.  He thought that she would fly from him; perhaps there would be a scene.  She might, who knows, have hysterics; might cry out, call for succor, for help, for aid.  He was wrong.

With a bound, Juliette flew to him, throwing herself upon him, her arms about his neck, and embraced him as she had never embraced him before.

“Yes, I do love you!” she cried.  “Yes, you have committed a crime for my sake, because you loved me.  You have a heart.  I never really knew you before!”

It had cost him dear to inspire this passion in Madame Juliette; but Noel never thought of that.

He experienced a moment of intense delight:  nothing appeared hopeless to him now.

But he had the presence of mind to free himself from her embrace.

“Let us go,” he said; “the one great danger is, that I do not know from whence the attack comes.  How they have discovered the truth is still a mystery to me.”

Juliette remembered her alarming visitor of the afternoon; she understood it all.

“Oh, what a wretched woman I am!” she cried, wringing her hands in despair; “it is I who have betrayed you.  It occurred on Tuesday, did it not?”

“Yes, Tuesday.”

“Ah, then I have told all, without a doubt, to your friend, the old man I supposed you had sent, Tabaret!”

“Has Tabaret been here?”

“Yes; just a little while ago.”

“Come, then,” cried Noel, “quickly; it’s a miracle that he hasn’t been back.”

He took her arm, to hurry her away; but she nimbly released herself.

“Wait,” said she.  “I have some money, some jewels.  I will take them.”

“It is useless.  Leave everything behind.  I have a fortune, Juliette; let us fly!”

She had already opened her jewel box, and was throwing everything of value that she possessed pell mell into a little travelling bag.

“Ah, you are ruining me,” cried Noel, “you are ruining me!”

He spoke thus; but his heart was overflowing with joy.

“What sublime devotion!  She loves me truly,” he said to himself; “for my sake, she renounces her happy life without hesitation; for my sake, she sacrifices all!”

Juliette had finished her preparations, and was hastily tying on her bonnet, when the door-bell rang.

“It is the police!” cried Noel, becoming, if possible, even more livid.

The young woman and her lover stood as immovable as two statues, with great drops of perspiration on their foreheads, their eyes dilated, and their ears listening intently.  A second ring was heard, then a third.