Part 49

“In the name of Louis XVI. and Marie-Antoinette whom I see on their scaffold, in the name of Madame Elisabeth, in the name of my daughter and of yours, and for Jesus’ sake, I forgive you.”

Hearing those words the old man raised his head. “It is the vengeance of angels!” he said.

Monsieur Joseph and Monsieur Nicolas raised him and led him to the courtyard; Godefroid went to fetch a carriage, and when they put the old man into it Monsieur Nicolas said to him gravely:--

“Do not return here, monsieur; the power of God is infinite, but human nature has its limits.”

On that day Godefroid was admitted to the order of the Brotherhood of Consolation.

ADDENDUM

The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy. The Brotherhood of Consolation is also known by the title The Seamy Side of History and is referred to by that title in other Addendums.

Barbet A Distinguished Provincial at Paris A Man of Business The Middle Classes

Bianchon, Horace Father Goriot The Atheist’s Mass Cesar Birotteau The Commission in Lunacy Lost Illusions A Distinguished Provincial at Paris A Bachelor’s Establishment The Secrets of a Princess The Government Clerks Pierrette A Study of Woman Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life Honorine The Magic Skin A Second Home A Prince of Bohemia Letters of Two Brides The Muse of the Department The Imaginary Mistress The Middle Classes Cousin Betty The Country Parson In addition, M. Bianchon narrated the following: Another Study of Woman La Grande Breteche

Bonaparte, Napoleon The Vendetta The Gondreville Mystery Colonel Chabert Domestic Peace A Woman of Thirty

Bordin The Gondreville Mystery The Commission in Lunacy Jealousies of a Country Town

Bourlac, Bernard-Jean-Baptiste-Macloud, Baron de The Peasantry

Casteran, De The Chouans Jealousies of a Country Town Beatrix The Peasantry

Cavalier A Distinguished Provincial at Paris

Champignelles, De The Deserted Woman

Chesnel (or Choisnel) Jealousies of a Country Town

Cibot, Jean (alias Pille-Miche) The Chouans

Cinq-Cygne, Laurence, Comtesse (afterwards Marquise de) The Gondreville Mystery The Secrets of a Princess The Member for Arcis

Desplein The Atheist’s Mass Cousin Pons Lost Illusions The Thirteen The Government Clerks Pierrette A Bachelor’s Establishment Modeste Mignon Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life Honorine

Haudry (doctor) Cesar Birotteau The Thirteen A Bachelor’s Establishment Cousin Pons

La Chanterie, Baronne Henri le Chantre de Cousin Betty

Lelewel The Imaginary Mistress

Leroi, Pierre The Chouans Jealousies of a Country Town

Louis XVIII., Louis-Stanislas-Xavier The Chouans The Gondreville Mystery Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life The Ball at Sceaux The Lily of the Valley Colonel Chabert The Government Clerks

Marest, Frederic A Start in Life The Member for Arcis

Metivier (nephew) The Middle Classes

Mongenod Cesar Birotteau

Mongenod, Frederic The Commission in Lunacy