Madame de la Chanterie, hearing the name, rose; supported by the Abbe de Veze she went to her room.
"You shall not come in, tool of Satan!" cried Manon, recognizing their former prosecutor and preventing his entrance through the door of the salon."Have you come to kill Madame?""Manon, let the gentleman come in," said Monsieur Alain.
Manon sat down on a chair as if both her legs had given way at once.
"Monsieur," said the baron in an agitated voice, recognizing Monsieur Joseph and Godefroid, and bowing to Monsieur Nicolas, "mercy gives rights to those it benefits.""You owe us nothing, monsieur;" said the good old Alain; "you owe everything to God.""You are saints, and you have the calmness of saints;" said the former magistrate; "you will therefore listen to me.I know that the vast benefits I have received during the last eighteen months have come from the hand of a person whom I grievously injured in doing my duty.
It was fifteen years before I was convinced of her innocence; and that case is the only one, gentlemen, for which I feel any remorse as to the exercise of my functions.Listen to me! I have but a short time to live, but I shall lose even that poor remnant of a life, still so important to my children whom Madame de la Chanterie has saved, unless she will also grant me her pardon.Yes, I will stay there on my knees on the pavement of Notre-Dame until she says to me that word.I, who cannot weep, whom the tortures of my child have dried like stubble, Ishall find tears within me to move her--"The door of Madame de la Chanterie's room opened; the Abbe de Veze glided in like a shadow and said to Monsieur Joseph:--"That voice is torturing Madame."