We must renounce the attempt to paint the delight, the transport of Gabriel and Agricola, of Dagobert, and Marshal Simon’s father, of Samuel and Bathsheba.  Faringhea alone remained in gloomy silence, before the portrait of the man with the black-barred forehead.  As for the fury of Father d’Aigrigny and Rodin, when they saw Samuel retake possession of the casket, we must also renounce any attempt to describe it.  On the notary’s suggestion, who took with him the codicil, to have it opened according to the formalities of the law, Samuel agreed that it would be more prudent to deposit in the Bank of France the securities of immense value that were now known to be in his possession.

While all the generous hearts, which had for a moment suffered so much, were overflowing with happiness, hope, and joy, Father d’Aigrigny and Rodin quitted the house with rage and death in their souls.  The reverend father got into his carriage, and said to his servants:  “To Saint-Dizier House!”—­Then, worn out and crushed, he fell back upon the seat, and hid his face in his hands, while he uttered a deep groan.  Rodin sat next to him, and looked with a mixture of anger and disdain at this so dejected and broken-spirited man.

“The coward!” said he to himself.  “He despairs—­and yet—­”

A quarter of an hour later, the carriage stopped in the Rue de Babylone, in the court-yard of Saint-Dizier House.

CHAPTER XXVII.

The first last, and the last first.

The carriage had travelled rapidly to Saint-Dizier House.  During all the way, Rodin remained mute, contenting himself with observing Father d’Aigrigny, and listening to him, as he poured forth his grief and fury in a long monologue, interrupted by exclamations, lamentations, and bursts of rage, directed against the strokes of that inexorable destiny, which had ruined in a moment the best founded hopes.  When the carriage entered the courtyard, and stopped before the portico, the princess’s face could be seen through one of the windows, half hidden by the folds of a curtain; in her burning anxiety, she came to see if it was really Father d’Aigrigny who arrived at the house.  Still more, in defiance of all ordinary rules, this great lady, generally so scrupulous as to appearances, hurried from her apartment, and descended several steps of the staircase, to meet Father d’Aigrigny, who was coming up with a dejected air.  At sight of the livid and agitated countenance of the reverend father, the princess stopped suddenly, and grew pale.  She suspected that all was lost.  A look rapidly exchanged with her old lover left her no doubt of the issue she so much feared.  Rodin humbly followed the reverend father, and both, preceded by the princess, entered the room.  The door once closed, the princess, addressing Father d’Aigrigny, exclaimed with unspeakable anguish:  “What has happened?”