story, retreated slowly, and
exchanging looks. Montreuil, who had scarcely seconded my attempt to
gloss over our _rencontre_, now approached me.

"Count," he said, with a collected and cool voice, "suffer me to request
you to exchange three words with me in a spot less liable than this to
interruption."

"Follow me then!" said I; and I led the way to a part of the grounds
which lay remote and sequestered from intrusion. I then turned round,
and perceived that the Abbe had left his sword behind. "How is this?" I
said, pointing to his unarmed side, "have you not come hither to renew
our engagement?"

"No!" answered Montreuil, "I repent me of my sudden haste, and I have
resolved to deny myself all further possibility of unseemly warfare.
That letter, young man, I still demand from you; I demanded it from
your own sense of honour and of right: it was written by me; it was
not intended for your eye; it contains secrets implicating the lives of
others besides myself; now, read it if you will."

"You are right, Sir," said I, after a short pause; "there is the letter;
never shall it be said of Morton Devereux that he hazarded his honour to
secure his safety. But the tie between us is broken now and forever!"

So saying, I flung down the debated epistle, and strode away. I
re-entered the great hall. I saw by one of the windows a sheet of paper;
I picked it up, and perceived that it was the envelope in which the
letter had been enclosed. It contained only these lines, addressed me in
French:--

A friend of the late Marshal Devereux encloses to his son a letter, the
contents of which it is essential for His safety that he should know.

C. D. B.

"Umph!" said I, "a very satisfactory intimation, considering that the
son of the late Marshal Devereux is so very well assured that he shall
not know one line of the contents of the said letter. But let me see
after this messenger!" and I immediately hastened to institute inquiry
respecting him. I found that he was already gone; on leaving the hall he
had remounted his horse and taken his departure. One servant, however,
had seen him, as he passed the front court, address a few words to
my valet, Desmarais, who happened to be loitering there. I summoned
Desmarais and questioned him.

"The dirty fellow," said the Frenchman, pointing to his spattered
stockings with a lachrymose air, "splashed me, by a prance of his
horse, from head to foot, and while I was screaming fo