Papa Ravinet leisurely wiped the perspiration from his brow.  Then he replied in a hoarse voice,—­

“Yes, that was probably, that was assuredly, the way Sarah Brandon reasoned within herself.”

But Henrietta, full of admirable energy, had roused herself; and, with flushed cheeks and burning eyes, she said to him,—­

“What! you knew all this?  You knew that they were assassinating my father, and you did not warn him?  Ah, that was cruel cautiousness!”

And quick like lightning she dashed forward, and would have rushed out, if the old lady had not promptly stepped in front of the door, saying,—­

“Henrietta, poor child! where are you going?”

“To save my father, madam, who, perhaps at this very moment is struggling in the last agonies of death, as I was struggling in like manner only two nights ago.”

Quite beside herself, she had clasped the knob of the door in her hands, and tried with all the strength she still possessed to move the old lady out of the way.  But Papa Ravinet seized her by the arm, and said to her solemnly,—­

“Madam, I swear to you by all you hold sacred, and my sister will swear to you in like manner, that your father’s life is in no kind of danger.”

She gave up the struggle; but her face bore the expression of the most harassing anxiety.  The old man continued,—­

“Do you wish to defeat our triumph?  Would you like to give warning to our enemies, to put them on their guard, and to deprive us of all hopes of revenge?”

Henrietta almost mechanically passed her hand to and fro across her brow, as if she hoped she could thus restore peace to her mind.

“And mind,” continued the old man with a persuasive voice, “mind that such imprudence would save our enemies, but would not save your father.  Pray consider and answer me.  Do you really think that your arguments would be stronger than Sarah Brandon’s?  You cannot so far underrate the diabolical cunning of your enemy.  Why, she has no doubt taken all possible measures to keep your father’s faith in her unshaken, and to let him die as he has lived, completely deceived by her, and murmuring with his last breath words of supreme love for her who kills him.”

These arguments were so overwhelming, that Henrietta let go the door-knob, and slowly went back to her seat by the fire.  And yet she was far from being reassured.

“If I were to appeal to the police,” she suddenly proposed.

The old lady had come and taken a seat by Henrietta’s side.  She took her hands in her own now, and said, gently,—­

“Poor child!  Do you not see that the whole power of this abominable creature lies in the fact that she employs means which are not within the reach of human justice.  Believe me, my child, it is best for you to rely blindly on my brother.”

Once more the old dealer had come up to the mantlepiece.  He repeated,—­