dy made," replied the pacha; "and I must say I wish
you had done the same; for, with all this love-making, you get on but
slowly with your story. Proceed."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I remained another week, when the bishop, who had not yet taken his
departure, one morning drove over to Marseilles, and returned to dinner.
"I was sent for," observed he, as we sat down to table, "to consult as
to the propriety of requesting from the Pope the canonisation of the
Soeur Eustasie, of whom you have heard so much, and whose disappearance
has been attributed to miraculous agency: but during our consultation, a
piece of information was sent in, which has very much changed the
opinion of parties as to her reputed sanctity. It appears that near the
spot where the vessel was wrecked they have discovered the body of a
woman dressed in man's clothes; and it is now supposed that some
miscreant has personified her at the convent, and has subsequently
escaped. The officers of justice are making the strictest search; and
if the individual is found, he will be sent to Rome to be disposed of by
the Inquisition."

As your highness may imagine, this was not very agreeable news: I almost
started from my chair when I heard it; but I had sufficient mastery over
myself to conceal my feelings, although every morsel that I put into my
mouth nearly choked me.

But before dinner was over the plot thickened; a letter was brought to
the marquis from my adopted father, the Comte de Rouille, stating that
such contradictory reports had been received, that he could not
ascertain the truth. From one he heard that his eldest son was alive,
and at the chateau; from others that he had been murdered; others
congratulated him in their letters upon the escape of one of his sons.
He requested the marquis to inform him of the real state of affairs, and
to let him know by the bearer whether his eldest son was with him, or
whether he had met with the unfortunate death that was reported; and as
his youngest son was at home, and had been there for some months, he
could not but imagine, as both of them were mentioned in the reports,
that there might be some imposture in the business.

I perceived by the change of countenance in the marquis that affairs
were not going well, and was to a certain degree prepared, when he
gravely handed the letter to the bishop; who; having read it, passed it
over to me, saying, with