Alain's father was innocent of the crime for which his son was to
suffer;--and Victor, with that strange power over men's minds which was
so peculiar to him, talked Louvier into mercy if not into repentance. In
short, the mortgage is to be paid off by instalments at the convenience
of Duplessis. Alain's marriage with Valerie is to take place in a few
weeks. The _fournisseurs_ are already gone to fit up the old chateau for
the bride, and Louvier is invited to the wedding.

"I have all this story from Alain, and from Duplessis himself. I tell
the tale as 'twas told to me, with all the gloss of sentiment upon its
woof. But between ourselves, I am too Parisian not to be sceptical as to
the unalloyed amiability of sudden conversions. And I suspect that
Louvier was no longer in a condition to indulge in the unprofitable whim
of turning rural seigneur. He had sunk large sums and incurred great
liabilities in the new street to be called after his name; and that
street has been twice ravaged, first by the Prussian siege, and next by
the _Guerre des Communeaux_; and I can detect many reasons why Louvier
should deem it prudent not only to withdraw from the Rochebriant seizure,
and make sure of peacefully recovering the capital lent on it, but
establishing joint interest and quasi partnership with a financier so
brilliant and successful as Armand Duplessis has hitherto been.

"Alain himself is not quite recovered from his wound, and is now at
Rochebriant, nursed by his aunt and Valerie. I have promised to visit
him next week. Raoul de Vandemar is still at Paris with his mother,
saying, there is no place where one Christian man can be of such service.
The old Count declines to come back, saying there is no place where a
philosopher can be in such danger.

"I reserve as my last communication, in reply to your questions, that