The poor youth made no reply, but sat down, faint with suffering; for now he began to comprehend the utter misery of his position. Months had passed since his poor young wife could have known the shelter of a respectable home. What might she not have endured, so young, so helpless, a mere child in years! How terribly she must have suffered. The cruelty of his miserable old stepmother was lost in the rush of remorseful compassion that filled his soul. With all this flood of sorrow came a new birth of feeling, so strong, so intense, that it thrilled him from head to foot. He scarcely recognized it as a joy, it was so strange, burning like a drop of elixir through all the pain and disappointment that had fallen upon him.
He was a father! A living soul had started from the immortal life within him; and the thought swept like solemn music through his stormy passions, giving dignity and depth to his manner.
He turned from the old woman with new-born gentleness. His white lips quivered with tender emotion, his eyes grew dark and misty, he forgot that the creature before him had trampled all that he loved in the dust. Thoughts of his wife and child filled his whole being. He turned away, and was passing through the door, when Madame De Marke addressed him.
“Where are you going?” she said.
“In search of my wife and child!”
The last word thrilled through and through his whole being. His face, that had been pale till now, flushed to the temples, and a smile of ineffable sweetness broke over his lips, as the word, “My child,” left them. He even looked at the wicked old woman as if demanding sympathy for his new joy from her.
“If they are upon earth, I shall find them,” he said, “by to-morrow, at the furthest, I shall find them.”
“And what will you do with them when they are found?” demanded the old woman, maliciously.
“What will I do?” said the youth, “what will I do? Why, give up my strong manhood to their support; for I am strong now.”
And so he was. Youth and hope and earnest feeling gave to his nature the energy of middle age.