“You are not speaking seriously,” said Christian, turning pale; “you, a gentleman, would not denounce me!  And, besides, would not my being sentenced injure the woman in whom you take so much interest?”

“I know all that,” Gerfaut replied; “I too cling to the honor of my name, and yet I expose it.  I have plenty of enemies who will be glad enough to outrage my memory.  Public opinion will condemn me, for they will see only the action, and that is odious.  There is one thing, however, more precious and necessary to me than the world’s opinion, and that is peace for every day, the right to live; and that is the reason why, happiness having forsaken me, I am going to bequeath it to the one whom fate has put in your power, but whom I shall not leave to your mercy.”

“I am her husband,” Bergenheim replied, angrily.

“Yes, you are her husband; so the law is on your side.  You have only to call upon society for its aid; it will come but too gladly at your call and help you crush a defenceless woman.  And I, who love her as you have never known how to love her, I can do nothing for her!  Living, I must keep silent and bow before your will; but dead, your absurd laws no longer exist for me; dead, I can place myself between you and her, and I will do it.  Since, in order to aid her, I have no choice of arms, I will not recoil from the one weapon which presents itself.  Yes, if in order to save her from your vengeance, I am obliged to resort to the shame of a denunciation, I swear to you here, I will turn informer.  I will sully my name with this stain; I will pick up this stone from the mud, and I will crush your head with it.”

“These are a coward’s words!” exclaimed Christian, as he fell back in his chair.

Gerfaut looked at him with a calm, stony glance, while replying: 

“No insults, please!  One of us will not be living to-morrow.  Remember what I tell you:  if I fall in this duel, it will be to your interest to have this matter stop then and there.  I submit to death myself; but I exact liberty for her—­liberty, with peace and respect.  Think it over, Monsieur; at the first outrage, I shall arise from my tomb to prevent a second, and dig a trench between you and her which never can be crossed\—­the penitentiary!”

CHAPTER XXIV

A FRIEND’S ADVICE

After she came out of her faint, Madame de Bergenheim remained for a long time in a dazed condition, and did not realize, save in a confused manner, her real position.  She saw vaguely, at her first glance, the curtains of the bed upon which she lay, and thought that she had awakened from an ordinary sleep.  Little by little, her thoughts became clearer, and she saw that she was fully dressed, also that her room seemed brighter than it usually was with only her night-lamp lighted.  She noticed between the half-open curtains a gigantic form reflected almost to the ceiling opposite her bed.  She sat up and distinctly saw a man sitting in the corner by the fireplace.  Frozen with terror, she fell back upon her pillow as she recognized her husband.  Then she remembered everything, even the slightest details of the scene in the small parlor.  She felt ready to faint again when she heard Christian’s steps upon the carpet, although he walked with great precaution.