se who are worse than myself I hate with all the hatred
of a good man, and show my dislike by raillery of every sort. You can
imagine, can you not, that, by dint of relating stories in which, to
please my auditors, I always make those who wantonly torment others
receive the reward of their wickedness in the end, I get into the habit
of feeling all the indignation and virtuous desire for vengeance I
relate?"

"I should never have thought such persons as your prison companions
would have been interested in such recitals!"

"Oh, but I'm awake to how to tickle their fancies. If I were to relate
to them the story of a man who committed no end of crimes, robbery and
murder being among the mildest, and got scragged at last, they would get
into a downright passion and not allow me to go on; but if I make up a
tale of a woman or child, or a poor, cowardly fellow like myself, that a
breath of wind would knock over, being pursued by an atrocious
persecutor,--a sort of Blackbeard, who torments them to death, for the
pure pleasure of the thing! Oh, how they roar and stamp for joy when I
make Mr. Blackbeard in the end served out as he deserves. I have got a
story they have never yet heard, called 'Gringalet and Cut-in-Half,'
which used to delight all the folks at Melun. I have promised to tell it
to them here to-night. But, before I begin, I shall see that they come
down pretty handsome when I send the box around collecting; and you may
depend upon being all the better for its contents. And, besides that, I
will write out the story itself to amuse your children. Poor dears! How
pleased they will be with it! 'Gringalet and Cut-in-Half,'--there's a
title for you! And, bless you, it is so virtuous and moral that an abbe
might read it from his pulpit! So make yourself quite happy in every
respect."

"One thing gives me great pleasure, dear brother, and that is to see
that your disposition keeps you from being as unhappy as the rest of
your companions here."

"Why, I am quite sure if I were like a poor fellow who is a prisoner in
our ward, I should be tempted to lay violent hands on myself. Poor young
man! I really am sorry for him,--he seems so very wretched; and I am
seriously afraid that before the day is over he will have sustained some
serious mischief at the hands of the other prisoners, whom he refuses to
associate with, and they owe him a grudge for it; and I know that a plan
is arranged to serve him out this very evening."