ut a volley of indignation at his amazing and
unparalleled effrontery, and of calling him to account for his
turpitude; but my better judgment withheld me, bidding me reserve my
blows until they should fall unerringly and fatally upon his defenceless
head.

In the meanwhile the good old priest carried his mild and resigned
spirit with him into the hospital. He was received with kindness, and
treated with especial care, chiefly on account of the recommendation of
the baron, who was interested in the unfortunate pastor to a
greater extent than he cared to acknowledge. The day for the
operation--postponed from time to time--at length arrived. It was
performed. The process was long and painful, but the patient never
uttered a complaint: his cries were wrung from him in the extremity of
torture and physical helplessness. The result was successful. One knew
not which to admire most--the Christian magnanimity of the patient, or
the triumphant skill of the operator: both were perfect. When the
anxious scene was over, the surgeon shook the priest by the hand
tenderly and encouragingly, and with his handkerchief wiped the
sweat-drops from his aged brow. He saw him afterwards carefully removed
to his bed, and for half an hour watched at his side, until, exhausted,
the sufferer fell to sleep. During the slow recovery of the invalid,
_his_ bed was the first visited by the surgeon in his daily rounds. He
lingered there long after his services were needed, and listened with
the deepest attention to the accounts which the priest gave of his mode
of life, and of the condition of his dear flock, far away in Auvergne.
When at length the convalescent man was able to quit his bed, the baron,
to the surprise of all who knew him, would take him by the arm, and give
him his support, as the enfeebled creature walked slowly up and down the
ward. It was the feeling act of an affectionate son. Then the surgeon
made eager enquiries, which the priest as eagerly answered; and they
grew as friendly as though they had been well acquainted from their
infancy. Weeks passed away; the priest was at last discharged, cured;
and, with prayers mingling with tears of gratitude, he took leave of his
benefactor, and returned in joy to his native village.

It was exactly a week after his departure, that the day arrived upon
which the sacristan led me to expect a meeting with the baron at the
church of Saint Sulpice. Resolved to confront this incarnation of
contr