Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/344

 to be quite happy in their domestic circumstances, and what added much to their felicity, was the birth of a beautiful boy, who was the perfect image of his mother.

De Scuderi made an absolute idol of the little Olivier, whom she used to keep whole days from his parents to play with, and caress;—the boy, of course, became accustomed to her, and staid with her just as willingly as he would have done with his own father and mother. Three years had passed away, when the envy and opposition of Brusson's professional brethren had such influence against him, that his business every day decreased, and he was at last reduced to the danger of actual want. Under these circumstances he was seized with an ardent longing to visit his native city of Geneva, and, consequently, his family was removed thither, notwithstanding the objections of De Scuderi, who wished that Brusson should remain at Paris, and promised him all the support in her power. From Switzerland, Anne wrote several affectionate letters, and seemed as before quite contented; then, all at once, without assigning any reason, she became silent, and de Scuderi could only conclude that the life she led at Geneva, was so happy and prosperous, that it had effaced from her mind all recollection of her former circumstances in Paris.—Since the date of the watchmaker's removal and establishment in Switzerland, there had passed an interval of twenty-three years, so that de Scuderi had almost forgotten him and his affairs—nor had the surname of Brusson ever been familiar to her.

"Oh, horrible!" cried she, forcing herself to look up, "Thou art Olivier, the son of my beloved Anne Guiot,—and now?"—"Indeed," said Olivier, "you could never have anticipated, that the boy whom you had so often caressed with all a mother's fondness, would one day appear before you as a man accused of the most horrible crimes. I am, indeed, not guiltless; and there are errors which the Chambre Ardente may justly charge against me. But I swear most solemnly, even by my hopes of heaven's mercy in my last moments,