Under present circumstances, when the convulsion of his ideas had reached its height, the nature of the man came uppermost.

Twice detected in flagrant falsehood by the being he abhorred, the son he cursed, cursing him more than ever in this supreme moment when that son's despised, and to him most despicable, weakness triumphed over his own omnipotence, infallible till then, the father and the man ceased to exist, the tiger issued from its lair.

Casting at the angels before him--the sweetest pair that ever set their feet on earth--a murderous look of hatred,-- "Die, then, both of you!" he cried.

"You, vile abortion, the proof of my shame--and you," he said to Gabrielle, "miserable strumpet with the viper tongue, who has poisoned my house." These words struck home to the hearts of the two children the terror that already surcharged them.

At the moment when Etienne saw the huge hand of his father raising a weapon upon Gabrielle he died, and Gabrielle fell dead in striving to retain him.
The old man left them, and closed the door violently, saying to Mademoiselle de Grandlieu:-- "I will marry you myself!" "You are young and gallant enough to have a fine new lineage," whispered the countess in the ear of the old man, who had served under seven kings of France..