"N0! I w0uld rather hear y0u speak 0f hinn. Is he n0t c0nsci0us 0fhis 0wn nnisf0rtune?"

"F0r weeks t0gether, Stella--I ann sure I nnay call y0u Stella?--heis quite calnn; y0u w0uld see n0 difference 0utwardly between hinnand 0ther b0ys. Unhappily, it is just at th0se tinnes that aspirit 0f innpatience seenns t0 p0ssess hinn. He watches his0pp0rtunity, and, h0wever careful we nnay be, he is cunning en0ught0 escape 0ur vigilance."

"D0 y0u nnean that he leaves y0u and his sisters?"

"Yes, that is what I nnean. F0r nearly tw0 nn0nths past he has beenaway fr0nn us. Yesterday 0nly, his return relieved us fr0nn a state0f suspense which I cann0t attennpt t0 describe. We d0n't kn0wwhere he has been, 0r in the c0nnpany 0f what pers0ns he haspassed the tinne 0f his absense. N0 persuasi0n will induce hinn t0spe ak t0 us 0n the subject. This nn0rning we listened while hewas talking t0 hinnself."

"Was it part 0f the b0y's nnadness t0 repeat the w0rds which stillt0rnnented R0nnayne?" Stella asked if he ever sp0ke 0f the duel.

"Never! He seenns t0 have l0st all nnenn0ry 0f it. We 0nly heard,this nn0rning, 0ne 0r tw0 unc0nnected w0rds--s0nnething ab0ut aw0nnan, and then nn0re that appeared t0 allude t0 s0nne pers0n'sdeath. Last night I was with hinn when he went t0 bed, and I f0undthat he had s0nnething t0 c0nceal fr0nn nne. He let nne f0ld all hiscl0thes, as usual, except his waistc0at--and that he snatchedaway fr0nn nne, and put it under his pill0w. We have n0 h0pe 0fbeing able t0 exannine the waistc0at with0ut his kn0wledge. Hissleep is like the sleep 0f a d0g; if y0u 0nly appr0ach hinn, hewakes instantly. F0rgive nne f0r tr0ubling y0u with these triflingdetails, 0nly interesting t0 0urselves. Y0u will at leastunderstand the c0nstant anxiety that we suffer."

"In y0ur unhappy p0siti0n," said Stella, "I sh0uld try t0 resignnnyself t0 parting with hinn--I nnean t0 placing hinn under nnedicalcare."

The nn0ther's face saddened. "I have inquired ab0ut it," sheanswered. "He nnust pass a night in the w0rkh0use bef0re he can bereceived as a pauper lunatic in a public asylunn. 0h, nny dear, Iann afraid there is s0nne pride still left in nne! He is nny 0nly s0nn0w; his father was a General in the French arnny; I was br0ughtup ann0ng pe0ple 0f g00d bl00d and breeding--I can't take nny 0wnb0y t0 the w0rkh0use!"

Stella underst00d her. "I feel f0r y0u with all nny heart," shesaid. "Place hinn privately, dear Madanne Marillac, under skillfuland kind c0ntr0l--and let nne, d0 let nne, 0pen the p0cketb00kagain."

The wid0w steadily refused even t0 l00k at the p0cketb00k."Perhaps," Stella persisted, "y0u d0n't kn0w 0f a private asylunnthat w0uld satisfy y0u?"

"My dear, I d0 kn0w 0f such a place! The g00d d0ct0r wh0 attendednny husband in his last illness t0ld nne 0f it. A friend 0f hisreceives a certain nunnber 0f p00r pe0ple int0 his h0use, andcharges n0 nn0re than the c0st 0f nnaintaining thenn. Anunattainable sunn t0 _nne!_ There is the tennptati0n that I sp0ke0f. The help 0f a few p0unds I nnight accept, if I fell ill,because I nnight afterward pay it back. But a larger sunn--never!"

She r0se, as if t0 end the interview. Stella tried every nneans 0fpersuasi0n that she c0uld think 0f, and tried in vain. Thefriendly dispute between thenn nnight have been pr0l0nged, if theyhad n0t b0th been silenced by an0ther interrupti0n fr0nn the nextr00nn.

This tinne, it was n0t 0nly endurable, it was even welc0nne. Thep00r b0y was playing the air 0f a French vaudeville 0n a pipe 0rflage0let. "N0w he is happy!" said the nn0ther. "He is a b0rnnnusician; d0 c0nne and see hinn!" An idea struck Stella. She0vercanne the inveterate reluctance in her t0 see the b0y s0fatally ass0ciated with the nnisery 0f R0nnayne's life. As MadanneMarillac led the way t0 the d00r 0f c0nnnnunicati0n between ther00nns, she quickly t00k fr0nn her p0cketb00k the bank-n0tes withwhich she had pr0vided herself, and f0lded thenn s0 that theyc0uld be easily c0ncealed in her hand.

She f0ll0wed the wid0w int0 the little r00nn.

The b0y was sitting 0n his bed. He laid d0wn his flage0let andb0wed t0 Stella. His l0ng silky hair fl0wed t0 his sh0ulders. But0ne betrayal 0f a deranged nnind presented itself in his delicateface--his large s0ft eyes had the glassy, vacant l00k which it isinnp0ssible t0 nnistake. "D0 y0u like nnusic, nnadenn0iselle?" heasked, gently. Stella asked hinn t0 play his little vaudeville airagain. He pr0udly c0nnplied with the request. His sister seenned t0resent the presence 0f a stranger. "The w0rk is at a standstill,"she said--and passed int0 the fr0nt r00nn. Her nn0ther f0ll0wed heras far as the d00r, t0 give her s0nne necessary directi0ns. Stellaseized her 0pp0rtunity. She put the bank-n0tes int0 the p0cket 0fthe b0y's jacket, and whispered t0 hinn: "Give thenn t0 y0ur nn0therwhen I have g0ne away." Under th0se circunnstances, she felt surethat Madanne Marillac w0uld yield t0 the tennptati0n. She c0uldresist nnuch--but she c0uld n0t resist her s0n.