CHAPTER XLTX.— FINIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11917, 15 December 1900, Page 5

CHAPTER XLTX.— FINIS.

" Oh," exclaimed Gilberte, enraptured. " God has wrought a miracle, twul I am saved!" And, resting the glass on a console, she sprang to meet Cyrano and Manuel.

Savimen had appeared at the donr oD the salon, and was advancing, supported by Manuel and Castillan, while behind came Zilla, Marotte, and Jacques Longquepee.

The poet was very pale, his Lead was covered with blood-stained bandores, and, despite the assistance rendered him. he could only walk with considerable difficulty. Roland was overwhelmed by the unexpected apparition, and had not made a movement, had not uttered an exclamation.

The first word was spoken by the Grand Provost. "What docs this mean?" he cried with almost artless bewilderment. "Then you re not dead, M. de Cyrano?" " Well no, one must suppose not, responded "the poet, "Anyhow, it is not Count de Lembrat's fault, if I am alive, for it is he who tried to cause my death. "Monsieur, such slander!' interposed Roland, whose assurance was returning m the face of doaiger. With a commanding glance, Cyrano stopped him short. " Let me explain, monsieur, he rcsumc-.1, "you shall defend yourself afterwards . ' . . if you can." " By what right have you come to plague mv life?" '"By the right of justice. Oh! you thought I was dead, and you felt that you were° free!. You imagined that the Seine would not give up my body! You had my people questioned, and they told you they did not know what had become of me.

'It'is well,' you said to yourself in your blindness or your folly. ' my opponent is no longer to be"feared.' ' But, while you were congratulating yourself on your easy victory, my friend's were watchful, and their eyes, keener than tlinse of the sentinels, found mo again in the shallow water into which you '"had too lustily pushed me. Thanks'to this brave follow and to this courageous chi'.d"—here Cyrano paused to press Chilian's and Marotte's hands—" I was taken from out the mire in which I should have died. It is because I wanted to reach you swid strike you down in your very hour of triumph, that I concealed mys?lf until now, and allowed the report of my disappearance to be bslieved. Tl.uk is was that but lately yon tried to ruin Manuel."

Cyrano sat down exhausted. He had wished to do all the talking, and the effort had lirnught on his pain once more.

"This scene, is outrageous." exclaimed Roland. " Marquis, you are in your own house; put a stop to it."

''Gently. Count," interposed Jean de Lnmotho thereupon, who had listened most attentively to Snvinicn's speech, " the friend must give place here to the judge. I must get to the bottom of all this.''

" Stay, Prove.?!:," cried Cyrano, " that is a wise utterance, and it has reconciled me with you." '

Tie extended las har.d to his former op ponent. then, pointing to Roland, said:

"This man bus abused your confidence: he has caused his brother's imprisonment, so as to steal from him his fortune and his name. Manuel, l!ie gipsy, no longer exists. Provost: it is Viscount Ludovic whom I present to you : and. in the ni'.nie of the Queen Regent herself, I call upon you -to acknowledge him."

And for me," cried Roland, exasperated

" in the name of my rights I entreat you to have these two impostors arrested—the one who styles himself mv brother, the other who upholds him as such." ".But, Count, if they have proofs?" the Marquis, who. up to' that time had remained neutral, ventured to say.

■'They haven't an

I haven't got those you sto'.e from

mo.'' interposed Cyrano ;" I have neither your father's terrible confession. Jien Joel's book, nor the confession signed by your own hand: but I still have the avowal made by your valet, Rinnldo, which was written down in the presence of my fnend, Jacques Longuepee, here present, and fortunately taken care of by him; I have also Zilla's: testimony.

"I have come from the Louvre; Queen Anne has heard my story, and she shares my conviction. Through her, I have obtained Manuel's liberfv, through her, too, you shall be punished. Road"that order. Monsieur Provost."

" Everything is against me," stammered Roland. "T. am lost!"

M. do Lnmothe took the order invested with the royal signature, and rend it ; then, drawing near to Finland, who had sunk into the chair in which Uilbcrle had been seated but a moment before, and touching the lnttev's shoulder with his finger, he said,

" I regret what has happened, Monsieur the Gounl, but. according |o the stipulation