trite air, as if beatified and convinced! But this was not all.
Along with chastisements there were rewards.

Observant people remarked that the favorites of the religious clan of
Madame de Saint-Dizier rose to high distinction with singular rapidity.
The virtuous young men, such as were religiously attentive to tiresome
sermons, were married to rich orphans of the Sacred Heart Convents, who
were held in reserve for the purpose; poor young girls, who, learning too
late what it is to have a pious husband selected and imposed upon them by
a set of devotees, often expiated by very bitter tears the deceitful
favor of thus being admitted into a world of hypocrisy and falsehood, in
which they found themselves strangers without support, crushed by it if
they dared to complain of the marriages to which they had been condemned.

In the parlor of Madame de Saint-Dizier were appointed prefects,
colonels, treasurers, deputies, academicians, bishops and peers of the
realm, from whom nothing more was required in return for the all-powerful
support bestowed upon them, but to wear a pious gloss, sometimes publicly
take the communion, swear furious war against everything impious or
revolutionary,--and above all, correspond confidentially upon "different
subjects of his choosing" with the Abbe d'Aigrigny,--an amusement,
moreover, which was very agreeable; for the abbe was the most amiable man
in the world, the most witty, and above all, the most obliging. The
following is an historical fact, which requires the bitter and vengeful
irony of Moliere or Pascal to do it justice.

During the last year of the Restoration, there was one of the mighty
dignitaries of the court a firm and independent man, who did not make
profession (as the holy fathers call it), that is, who did not
communicate at the altar. The splendor amid which he moved was calculated
to give the weight of a very injurious example to his indifference. The
Abbe-Marquis d'Aigrigny was therefore despatched to him; and he knowing
the honorable and elevated character of the non communicant, thought that
if he could only bring him to profess by any means (whatever the means
might be) the effect would be what was desired. Like a man of intellect,
the abbe prized the dogma but cheaply himself. He only spoke of the
suitableness of the step, and of the highly salutary example which the
resolution to adopt it would afford to the public.

"M. Abbe," replied the person sought to be influ