He stirred, he looked up; he turned his eyes towards the light now waning in its socket; he saw the robber at his work; he sat erect for an instant, as if transfixed, more even by astonishment than terror.

At last he sprang from his bed.
"Just Heaven! do I dream! Thou--thou--thou, for whom I toiled and starved!--THOU!" The robber started; the gold fell from his hand, and rolled on the floor.
"What!" he said, "art thou not dead yet?
Has the poison failed ?" "Poison, boy! Ah!" shrieked the old man, and covered his face with his hands; then, with sudden energy, he exclaimed, "Jean! Jean! recall that word.

Rob, plunder me if thou wilt, but do not say thou couldst murder one who only lived for thee! There, there, take the gold; I hoarded it but for thee.

Go! go!" and the old man, who in his passion had quitted his bed, fell at the feet of the foiled assassin, and writhed on the ground,--the mental agony more intolerable than that of the body, which he had so lately undergone.

The robber looked at him with a hard disdain.