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ates shivered with horror and the terrified neighbours fled the haunted castle as a lazar…house。 Once in possession of a family secret； he felt himself secure； and henceforth he was free to browbeat his employer and to flog his pupil to the satisfaction of his waspish nature。 Moreover； he was endowed with all the insight and effrontery of a trained journalist。 So sedulous was he in his search after the truth； that neither man nor woman could deny him confidence。 And； as vinegar flowed in his veins for blood； it was his merry sport to set wife against husband and children against father。 Not even were the servants safe from his watchful inquiry； and housemaids and governesses alike entrusted their hopes and fears to his malicious keeping。 And when the house had retired to rest； with what a sinister delight did he chuckle over the frailties and infamies； a guilty knowledge of which he had dragged from many an unwilling sinner！ To oust him； when installed； was a plain impossibility； for this wringer of hearts was only too glib in the surrender of another's scandal； and as he accepted the last scurrility with Christian resignation； his unfortunate employer could but strengthen his vocabulary and patiently endure the presence of this smiling； demoniacal tutor。
But a too villainous curiosity was not the Abb he received with a grin complacent as Shylock's； for was he not conscious that when he liked the pound of flesh was his own！
With a fiend's duplicity he laid his plans of ruin and death。 The Marquise； swayed to his will； received him secretly in the blue room （whose very colour suggests a guilty intrigue）； though never； upon the oath of an Abb's dictation； and when her husband returned to St。 Amand he was instantly thrust into prison。 Nothing remained but to cajole the sons into an expressed hatred of their father； and the last enormity was committed by a masterpiece of cunning。 ‘Your father's one chance of escape；' argued this villain in a cassock； ‘is to be proved an inhuman ruffian。 Swear that he beat you unmercifully and you will save him from the guillotine。' All the dupes learned their lesson with a certainty which reflects infinite credit upon the Abb's character was revealed before he parted his lips in speech。 Unmoved he stood and immovable； he treated the imprecations of the Marquis with a cold disdain； as the burden of proof grew heavy on his back； he shrugged his shoulders in weary indifference。 He told his monstrous story with a cynical contempt； which has scarce its equal in the history of crime； and priest； as he was； he proved that he did not yield to the Marquis himself in the Rabelaisian amplitude of his vocabulary。 He brought charges against the weird world of Presles with an insouciance and brutality which defeated their own aim。 He described the vices of his master and the sins of the servants in a slang which would sit more gracefully upon an idle roysterer than upon a pious Abb