The terrific logic of the thing smote him. His wife
hating him, himself on the scaffold, his little Zoe disgraced and
dishonoured all her life; and himself out of it all, unable to help her,
and bringing irremediable trouble on her! As a chemical clears a muddy
liquid, leaving it pure and atomless, so there seemed to pass over Jean
Jacques' face a thought like a revelation.
He took his hand from the lever. For a moment he stood like one awakened
out of a sleep. He put his hands to his eyes, then shook his head as
though to free it of some hateful burden. An instant later he stooped,
lifted up the ladder beside him, and let it down to the floor of the
flume.
"There, go--for ever," he said.
Then he turned away with bowed head. He staggered as he stepped down from
the bridge of the flume, where the lever was. He swayed from side to
side. Then he raised his head and looked towards his house. His child
lived there--his Zoe.
"Moi je suis philosophe!" he said brokenly.
After a moment or two, as he stumbled on, he said it again--"Me, I am a
philosopher!"
CHAPTER X
"QUIEN SABE"--WHO KNOWS!
This much must be said for George Masson, that after the terrible
incident at the flume he would have gone straight to the Manor Cartier to
warn Carmen, if it had been possible, though perhaps she already knew.
But there was Jean Jacques on his way back to the Manor, and nothing
remained but to proceed to Laplatte, and give the woman up for ever.
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