Volume I Part 17 (1/2)
”Benedetto, you blaspheme Your life is not too dear for me to purchase”
”I wish I could earn your love,” ave up a million to rescue me If you had more money, I am sure you would sacrifice it to secure ive up all hope yet,” exclailars, vivaciously
”What? Have you still got the million?” asked Benedetto, hastily
”I shall not deliver theto do with the matter What I have promised, I keep”
Benedetto reh his mind He stood with downcast eyes, his left hand carelessly stroking his chain and his right crureen cap
”Mother,” he finally said, in a low voice, ”there is no use speaking of the past--let us think of the future You are going to depart to- now?”
”I live at the vicarage of Beaussuet The Jesuit fathers recoh the priest is absent”
”Oh, God!” sobbed Benedetto, ”if I could only accoh road to go back to Beaussuet The mistral blows, and the roads of Oliolles are said to be so dangerous that ht Well, I will find another one”
”But why do you not stay in Toulon until the ?”
”Impossible I e”
”Wasn't that careless? A lonely vicarage, whose owner is absent--”
”I took good care of it; the portfolio containing the ht closet, the key of which I carry”
”But the portfolio e one It is not so easy to wrap up a million,” said Benedetto, inquisitively
”Yes, if I had to deliver the whole sum in coin; but that is not the case Only a sold, the rest is in bank-notes”
Benedetto nodded He kne exactly what he had desired to find out, and as the chaplain rose, and gently hinted that the time for the interview had expired, the convict turned to his ly said:
”Blesshands on his head, and tenderly whispered:
”God be with you!”
Her strength deserted her; and while Benedetto was being led out by a jailer, she leaned faintingly against a chair
The priest consoled her She sorrowfully shook her head, collected herself, slipped a thousand-franc note into the priest's hand, and murmured:
”Give that to those who are as unhappy as I am”
The next moment she wrapped her cloak firmly about her, and strode toward the inn where the driver awaited her