eving that they would have prevented you,
like the others, from coming hither this morning. But, thank God, you are
here, and I arrive in time. I should have been sooner, but for my wound.
I have lost so much blood, that I have done nothing but faint all the
morning."

"Truly!" cried Gabriel, with uneasiness. "I had not remarked your arm in
a sling. What is the wound?"

At a sign from Agricola, Dagobert answered: "Nothing; the consequence of
a fall. But here I am, to unveil many infamies."

It is impossible to paint the curiosity, anguish, surprise, or fear, of
the different actors in this scene, as they listened to Dagobert's
threatening words. But the most overcome was Gabriel. His angelic
countenance was distorted, his knees trembled under him. Struck by the
communication of Dagobert which revealed the existence of other heirs, he
was unable to speak for some time; at length, he cried out, in a tone of
despair: "And it is I--oh, God! I--who am the cause of the spoliation of
this family!"

"You, brother?" exclaimed Agricola.

"Did they not wish to rob you also?" added Dagobert.

"The will," cried Gabriel, with increasing agony, "gave the property to
those of the heirs that should appear before noon."

"Well?" said Dagobert, alarmed at the emotion of the young priest.

"Twelve o'clock has struck," resumed the latter. "Of all the family, I
alone was present. Do you understand it now? The term is expired. The
heirs have been thrust aside by me!"

"By you!" said Dagobert, stammering with joy. "By you, my brave boy! then
all is well."

"But--"

"All is well," resumed Dagobert, radiant with delight. "You will share
with the others--I know you."

"But all this property I have irrevocably, made over to another," cried
Gabriel, in despair.

"Made over the property!" cried Dagobert, quite petrified. "To whom,
then?--to whom?"

"To this gentleman," said Gabriel, pointing to Father d'Aigrigny.

"To him!" exclaimed Dagobert, overwhelmed by the news; "to him--the
renegade--who has always been the evil genius of this family!"

"But, brother," cried Agricola, "did you then know your claim to this
inheritance?"

"No," answered the young priest, with deep dejection; "no--I only learned
it this morning, from Father d'Aigrigny. He told me, that he had only
recently been informed of my rights, by family papers long ago found upon
me, and sent by our mother to her confessor."

A sudden light seemed to dawn upon the