Too well did Scuderi know what those means were; and she resolved upon taking the advice of an eminent lawyer in her extremity. Pierre Arnaud d'Andilly was then the most celebrated advocate in Paris; to him she applied, and told him all, as far as she could, without betraying the secret Brusson desired to conceal. D'Andilly heard her through, and answered, smiling, in the words of Boileau : "Le vrai peut quelque fois n'être pas vrai semblable."-He showed her that under the circumstances, and with the evidence before them, La Regnie had ground for his suspicions; nor did he see how the prisoner could be saved from the torture, without a full and free statement on his part of all that had happened. "Then I will go to the King, and supplicate his mercy!" cried the lady, wiping away her tears."Not so! for Heaven's sake, not so!" exclaimed D'Andilly. "The King cannot now show clemency to one thus suspected; it would stir up the people to the fiercest indignation. Let the prisoner clear himself, either by confession or otherwise, of the heaviest part of his accusation; then it is time to implore the King's mercy."

Discouraged as she was, Scuderi still resolved not to abandon the unhappy prisoner's cause, so long as there remained a possibility of saving him. That evening, as she was sitting alone endeavoring to think of some plan, Martiniere entered and announced the Count de Moisse, an officer of the royal guard.

"I must pray your pardon, lady," said the Count, as with soldierly dignity he bowed on entering, "for intruding upon you at so late an hour. We soldiers cannot wait for convenient seasons; but two words will plead my excuse. Olivier Brusson sent me to you.'

"Olivier Brusson!" repeated the lady, startled, "what have you to do with him?"

"I mentioned his name," replied the officer, smiling, "because I know your friendly interest in him, and know it will procure me a gracious hearing. He is, by every one but you, supposed guilty of Cardillac's death; not, however, by every one, for I, lady, agree with you in believing him innocent; and for even a better reason than you have."

"Speak-oh, speak!" cried Scuderi, clasping her hands.

"I was the person, madame, who killed the old jeweller in the street, not far from your house."

"You!" almost gasped the lady.

"I myself;" returned the Count; "and I assure you, lady, I am proud of the deed. Know, that it was Cardillac who committed at night so many thefts and robberies, and so long eluded the police. I know not how it was, but the suspicion came into my head one day, when I went to receive some ornaments I had ordered, and the old villain showed great disquietude, asking me for whom I designed the jewelry, and afterwards questioning my servant to know if I visited a certain lady. I was on my guard, and observing that all the murdered were despatched by a dagger stroke through the heart, I protected myself by a piece of linked steel armor, which I wore under my vest. Cardillac fell upon me from behind. His grasp was like that of a giant; but his dagger, which he plunged at my heart, slipped harmlessly across the steel armor. My dagger was in my hand; I turned upon him, and buried it in his bosom."

"And yet you were silent," said the lady," and did not give information."

"I beg you to observe," interrupted the officer, "that I knew not how such information would be received, nor what it might bring upon me. Would La Regnie, made up of suspicion as he is, believe an accusation against the honest and virtuous Master Cardillac ? Would he not more readily turn the sword of law against me?"

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'Impossible!" said Scuderi. "Your rank-"

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Think," returned the officer, "of the Marshal de Luxemburg, whose application to Le Sage for his horoscope brought him to the Bastille! No, lady, not an hour of my freedom will I give to La Regnie, who would gladly enough set his cold steel against our throats."

"Then you would bring the innocent Brusson to the scaffold?" demanded the lady.

"Innocent?" repeated the Count. "Do you call him innocent who was an accomplice in Cardillac's crimes? No, lady, I determined to reveal to you all I know; you are at liberty to use the

information I have conveyed to you, for the benefit of the prisoner, in any way that does not place me in the hands of the Chambre Ardente."

It was no part of the lady's nature to spare any exertion where innocence was to be succored; and after this evidence of the truth of Olivier's statement, she determined on disclosing all to D'Andilly, under a promise of

secrecy.

D'Andilly received her information, and himself questioned the officer, particularly with respect to his knowledge of Cardillac's person, and of the Iman who followed him. The Count replied that it was light enough for him to see the goldsmith, whom he could not mistake; he had killed him with the very dagger he had since seen in the possession of La Regnie. The young man who came up as the jeweller fell, had his hat drawn over his features; but he saw enough of his face to be able to recognize him again.

D'Andilly's opinion, after some deliberation, was, that the evidence, though sufficient to produce a moral certainty of Brusson's innocence, would not release him from the hands of the law. Even if acquitted of Cardillac's murder, suspicion would fasten upon him as the accomplice of his crimes. All they could hope was in delay. Count de Moisse must repair to the Conciergerie, identify the prisoner's person, and then relate before the tribunal what had occurred. Then it was the time to supplicate the King's mercy; and he would counsel that nothing be concealed from his majesty. In his sense of justice, in his internal conviction of the truth, lay the result.

The Count did as he was advised to do; and Scuderi undertook to speak to the King. This was no easy matter, as the popular horror of the supposed crime rendered Louis unwilling to interfere with the execution of the law. Madame de Maintenon's resolution, never to speak to the King of disagreeable matters, placed her assistance out of the question. The prisoner's fate lay in the hands of M'lle de Scuderi. She appeared in the apartment of Madame de Maintenon, at the hour when the King was expected. In her rich dark dress and flowing veil, her noble figure had a dignity that commanded attention; and always observant of grace and majesty, the King noticed her as soon

as he came in. M'lle de Scuderi told her moving story in as few words as possible, but omitting not a single circumstance. She related the incidents of Brusson's early life, his acquaintance with Cardillac, and domestication in his family; his discovery of the master's guilt, and the circumstances of his death. With a trembling voice, as she saw Louis listened with deep interest, she described the scene with La Regnie, with the prisoner, and with the Count de Moisse; concluding with a prayer for mercy, as she knelt at the King's feet.

The King had heard her with great surprise and agitation; he raised her from her kneeling posture, and inquired more minutely into the evidence that substantiated Olivier's confession; also with regard to the secret entrance into Cardillac's house. "It is a strange story," said he, at length; and turning to the door, summoned Louvois, with whom he left the apartment for some minutes. Both Maintenon and Scuderi looked upon this absence as unfavorable to their hopes. But Louis soon returned; paced the room several times with his hands behind him; then coming towards Scuderi, he said: "I would see this young girl-this Madelon."

The lady almost shrieked with joy, for she now felt confident of success. She left the room, and ere long Madelon herself knelt at the King's feet. Never was entreaty more earnest and intense than that expressed in her clasped hands and tearful eyes, as in speechless supplication she raised them to the King's face. Louis seemed struck by her singular beauty. He raised her from the ground, and led her to a seat; and as he did so, Maintenon whispered to her friend, "See, how like she is to La Vallière !"

It might have been that Louis heard this remark; a flush passed over his brow; he glanced at Maintenon; and turning to Madelon, said: "I can well believe, my girl, that you are convinced of the innocence of your lover; but let us hear what the Chambre Ardente says to it."

At these words, which seemed the knell of her hopes, M'lle de Scuderi was ready to sink to the earth. She had no doubt they were owing to the ill-timed allusion of Madame de Maintenon. On such small things often hang the fate of men! But there was

nothing now but patiently to abide the King's pleasure.

Count de Moisse's deposition was speedily known among the people, and as it often happens, the multitude passed directly from one extreme to the other. Those who a few days before execrated the prisoner, and called the scaffold too mild a punishment, now were loudest in outcries for his release, and proclaimed him an innocent victim. The neighbors now remembered his mild and amiable deportment, his attachment to Madelon, and the fidelity and diligence with which he served his master. The multitude surrounded La Regnie's house from morning till night, crying out that Olivier Brusson must be set at liberty, and throwing stones at the window, so that the President was obliged to summon the police to protect his dwelling.

Many days passed, during which M'lle de Scuderi heard nothing of Brusson's business. She went to Maintenon, but received no consolation from her; for she said the king observed silence upon the subject, and would doubtless be displeased if reminded of it. She then asked with a smile, "how the little La Valliére was ?" Scuderi was convinced that in the bosom of that proud woman lurked a prejudice against her protégée-even because her mention of that name had caused emotion in the King.

At length, through D'Andilly, she learned that Louis had had a long private interview with the Count de Moisse; also that Bontems, the king's confidential agent, had been to the Conciergerie, and conversed with Brusson; and lastly, that Bontems, with several others, had gone at night to examine Cardillac's house and the premises. He was certainly tracing each link of the evidence. But would La Regnie suffer any evidence to loosen his hold on the victim? All was in the dark.

Weeks passed thus: when one morning M'lle de Scuderi received a messenger from Maintenon, informing her the King wished to see her that evening in her (Maintenon's) apartments. Scuderi's heart beat, for she felt that the decisive hour was come. comforted the poor Madelon, however, and desired her to occupy the time of her absence in prayer for the one dear to them both.

She

When Louis joined the ladies, it seemed that he had quite forgotten the whole matter. He was cheerful, and talked gaily on many subjects, but said not a word of Brusson. At length Bontems entered, and whispered a few words in his ear. The king then rose,

advanced towards M'lle de Scuderi, and said with a smile, "I wish you joy, Mademoiselle! your protégée, Olivier Brusson, is free!"

Overcome by the surprise of joy, and unable to express her feelings in words, Scuderi would have sunk at the King's feet. He prevented her, saying, "Go, go! you should be parliament's advocate, and undertake all my causes; for, by St. Denys, nothing on earth can withstand your eloquence! Yet"pursued he more seriously; "it was a hard business! The protégée of virtue herself cannot be sure of acquittal before such courts!"

The lady at length found words to thank the King for his clemency and generosity. Louis interrupted by informing her that much warmer thanks awaited her at her own house, where the lovers had met to part no more. "Bontems," concluded he," shall count out a thousand louis-d'ors, which you may give in my name to the maiden as her dower. She may marry Brusson, who really merits not so happy a lotbut they must both leave Paris. That is my will."

As the good lady returned home, Martiniere came to meet her, followed by Pierre, and both crying joyfully "He is free-he is here!" The happy lovers threw themselves at the feet of their benefactress. "I knew-I knew," cried Madelon, "that you, and you alone would save him!" "I trusted in you from the beginning, my mother!" cried Olivier, and both kissed the wor-* thy lady's hands, and bathed them with tears. And then they embraced each other, and protested that the rapture of that moment repaid them for all their past sufferings.

They were united in a few days; and as, according to the king's will, Brusson was to leave Paris, he removed with his wife, after taking a tender farewell of M'lle de Scuderi, to Geneva.

He would not have remained in Paris had it been left at his option; where everything reminded him of Cardillac's crimes. Madelon's dower was sufficient to set him up in business,