She
had not even time to look around her, ere he had placed her in an
arm-chair, and fallen on his knees before her. "At last I see you
again, my beloved Marguerite," he exclaimed. "You are mine--
nothing shall part us again!"
They sobbed in each other's arms. They could bear adversity
unmoved; but their composure deserted them in this excess of
happiness; and standing in the door-way, Madame Ferailleur felt
the tears come to her eyes as she stood watching them.
"How can I tell you all that I have suffered!" said Pascal, whose
voice was hoarse with feeling. "The papers have told you all the
details, I suppose. How I was accused of cheating at cards; how
the vile epithet 'thief' was cast in my face; how they tried to
search me; how my most intimate friends deserted me; how I was
virtually expelled from the Palais de Justice. All this is
terrible, is it not? Ah, well! it is nothing in comparison with
the intense, unendurable anguish I experienced in thinking that
you believed the infamous calumny which disgraced me."
Marguerite rose to her feet. "You thought that!" she exclaimed.
"You believed that I doubted you? I! Like you, I have been accused
of robbery myself. Do you believe me guilty?"
"Good God! I suspect you!"
"Then why----"
"I was mad, Marguerite, my only love, I was mad! But who would not
have lost his senses under such circumstances? It was the very day
after this atrocious conspiracy.
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