eived by his pretensions; the friend, or servant, who has once
proved perfidious, is unworthy any future confidence."

D'Aulney started, as if stung by the last remark, and looking keenly on
her, replied,

"He is not the only traitor whom I have fostered and protected; some
other hand has been busy in this work, and, though it were the dearest
that I have on earth, my wrath should not abate one tittle of its
justice."

"It was, indeed, a bold adventure!" said Mad. d'Aulney, with admirable
composure; "but if, as I am told, a priest gained access to the prisoner
through Antoine's intervention, they would scarcely deem it necessary to
run the hazard of employing any other agency; and let us not be guilty
of injustice, by indulging suspicions of the innocent."

"I have closely questioned the father confessor on this subject," he
replied, thoughtfully; "and I learn that a stranger, one of his own
crafty order, yesterday visited him; and that soon after leaving his
apartment, he was observed in close conference with the wretch Antoine;
but the guard denies admitting any one through the gate at a later hour;
though a priest, or, as is now supposed, the prisoner in his garb,
passed out after midnight, with the deserter, who gave some plausible
excuse for departing at that unseasonable hour."

"The men are terrified by your anger," said Mad. d'Aulney, "and probably
contradict each other in their natural eagerness to justify themselves;
you permitted the priests to enter freely, and no one can be blamed for
obeying your commands, which did not prohibit a stranger under the
sacred habit."

"The confessor's illness," resumed D'Aulney, with bitterness, "has
gathered all the priests in the land around him; and this goat, who
entered with the herd, is doubtless a creature of La Tour's; but,
beshrew me, were the holy father in the last extremity, I would not
admit another, without a scrutiny which no artifice could escape."

"You have many prisoners left," said Madame d'Aulney, carelessly; "and
this one, though the chief, was he so very important as to justify all
this severity?"

"It matters not, madame," he answered, sternly; "but I care not to have
my wishes thwarted by cunning; my plans defeated by fraud and artifice.
Yet your curiosity shall be gratified," he added; "or, tell me, do you
not already know who has so narrowly escaped the punishment his crimes
have well deserved?"

"You told me," she replied, "that it was a