king, and wiped his fingers as he
made a sign to the two grand vicars to be seated.

"The Abbe Pascal did not take a wise course," he said.

"He is actually ill in his bed from the effects of his last scene with
the man," said the Abbe de Grancour. "If it were not for that we might
get him to explain more clearly the difficulties that have defeated all
the various efforts monseigneur ordered him to make."

"The condemned man sings obscene songs at the highest pitch of his voice
as soon as he sees any one of us, so as to drown out every word we try
to say to him," said a young priest who was sitting beside the bishop.

This young man, who was gifted with a charming personality, had his
right arm resting on the table, while his white hand dropped negligently
on the bunches of grapes, seeking the ripest, with the ease and
assurance of an habitual guest or favorite. He was both to the prelate,
being the younger brother of Baron Eugene de Rastignac, to whom ties of
family and also of affection had long bound the Bishop of Limoges. Aware
of the want of fortune which devoted this young man to the Church, the
bishop took him as his private secretary to give him time to wait for
eventual preferment. The Abbe Gabriel bore a name which would lead him
sooner or later to the highest dignities of the Church.

"Did you go to see him, my son?" asked the bishop.

"Yes, Monseigneur. As soon as I entered his cell the wretched man hurled
the most disgusting epithets at you and at me. He behaved in such a
manner that it was impossible for any priest to remain in his presence.
Might I give Monseigneur a word of advice?"

"Let us listen to the words of wisdom which God Almighty sometimes puts
into the mouths of children," said the bishop, smiling.

"Well, you know he made Balaam's ass speak out," said the young abbe
quickly.

"But according to some commentators she did not know what she was
saying," replied the bishop, laughing.

The two grand vicars smiled. In the first place, the joke came from
Monseigneur; next, it bore gently on the young abbe, of whom the
dignitaries and other ambitious priests grouped around the bishop were
somewhat jealous.

"My advice would be," resumed the young man, "to ask Monsieur de
Grandville to reprieve the man for the present. When Tascheron knows
that he owes an extension of his life to our intercession, he may
pretend to listen to us, and if he listens--"

"He will persist in his present conduc