meal, happening to look into his face, I saw
that he was gazing at me intently, and I was startled by the expression
of his countenance: for that expression was one of the deadliest hate.
It was but for an instant, and then he turned away his eyes; yet I still
remember that look of bitter hatred. As soon as dinner was over, my
mother withdrew, and a few minutes afterwards my father said to the
minister:

'Brother Flanders, I am going out for a short walk, to call upon a
friend; meantime, I doubt not that Mrs. ---- will be happy to hold
sisterly and Christian communion with you. You will find her in her
chamber.'

'It is very pleasant, my brother,' responded the other--'to hold private
and holy communion with our fellow seekers after divine truth. These
family visits I regard as the priceless privilege of the pastor; by them
the bond of love which unites him to his flock, is more strongly
cemented. I will go to my sister and we will pray and converse
together.'

'Saying this, Mr. Flanders arose and left the room; he had scarcely time
to ascend the stairs and enter my mother's chamber, when my father
quickly and noiselessly followed him, and entered an apartment
adjoining. He had previously made a small hole in the wall, and to this
hole he applied his eye. So rapid had been his movements, that the
minister had just closed the door, when he was at his post of
observation; so that it was rendered utterly impossible for my mother to
whisper a word or make a sign, to caution her paramour against
committing both her and himself. I lost no time in taking up my position
at the chamber door, and availed myself of the keyhole as a convenient
channel for both seeing and hearing. I saw that my mother was very pale
and seemed ill at ease, and I did not wonder at it, for her position was
an extremely painful and embarrassing one. She well knew that my
father's eye was upon her, watching her slightest movement; she knew,
also, that the minister was utterly unaware of my father's _espionage_,
and she had good reason to fear that the reverend libertine would, as
usual, begin the interview by amorous demonstrations. Oh, how she must
have longed to put him on his guard, and thereby save both her honor and
her reputation!--But she dare not.

'The minister seated himself near my unhappy mother, and opened the
conversation as follows:

'Well, my dear Mrs. ----, I am sorry to inform you that I have tidings
of an unpleasant nature to co