The count offered his hand to the young lady, and went out without a word, followed by all the company, who silently withdrew at a sign from don Jaime.
Dominique alone remained with a flashing eye fixed on don Horacio. "As for me," he said, in a sullen voice, "as I do not know what is going to happen here, and fear a snare, I will not go except by the express order of don Jaime—it was he who brought me up; I am his adopted son, and it is my duty to defend him."
"Remain then, señor," don Horacio replied with a sorrowful smile, "since you may belong to our family." Don Jaime stepped forward at this moment. "Brother-in-law," he said to him, "that son, whom you carried off from my sister, the heir of the Dukes de Tobar, whom you believe lost, I saved! Dominique, embrace your mother. María! This is your son!"
"Mother!" the young man cried, bounding wildly towards her, "Mother!"
"My son!" doña María murmured, in a dying voice, and fell fainting in the arms of the child she had at length recovered.
Though resolute against grief, like all choice natures, joy had overcome her. Dominique raised his mother in his vigorous arms, and laid her on a sofa; then, with frowning brows, eyes full of fury, and clenched teeth, he slowly advanced toward don Horacio. The latter watched him approach with a shudder of terror. Falling back step by step before him until, at length, feeling the tapestry at his shoulder, he was involuntarily forced to stop.
"Assassin of my father, torturer of my mother," the young man said in a terrible voice, "coward and villain, my curses on you!"
Don Horacio bowed his head before this anathema, but drawing himself up again immediately, he said, "God is just! My punishment is beginning. I knew that this man was alive. By great search I had succeeded in finding again, under the name of Loïck, the wretch to whom I sold him at the house of his birth."
"Yes," said don Jaime, "and this Loïck, whom want led into crime, repenting of his fault, restored him to me."
"Yes, all this is true," don Horacio said, in a low voice. "This young man is really my nephew. He has the features and voice of my unfortunate brother." He hid his face in his hands, but recovering himself suddenly, he said, with firmness—