"My husband! my poor Morel!" cried the wife of the lapidary, running to join Louise.
"My wife!" said Morel; "my wife and child!"
"And I also, M. Morel," said Rigolette; "all your friends are collected around you."
"All your friends! do you see, M. Morel?" added Germain.
"Miss Rigolette! M. Germain!" said the lapidary, recognizing each personage with new astonishment.
"And your old friends of the lodge, too!" said Anastasia, approaching in her turn, with Alfred; "here are the Pipelets—the old Pipelets—friends till death! Daddy Morel, here is a great day."
"M. Pipelet and his wife! so many people around me! it seems to me so long since! And, but, it is Louise, is it not?" cried he with emotion, pressing his daughter to his heart. "It is you, Louise? very sure?"
"My poor father, yes; it is I; it is my mother: here are all your friends—you shall leave us no more—we shall be happy now—very happy."
"Very happy. But wait until I recollect—all happy; it seems to me, however, that they came to conduct you to prison, Louise."
"Yes, my father; but I have been acquitted—you see it—I am here—near to you."