t
THE AMERICAN
THE WANDERING JEW
of Marshal
CIUriEH XII. CONTINI'KD
THK llfiitAKV
On would think Hut Spoilnport
fcrd something.' U Agrieola. Tbey
lttn(1 tut heard only the wli.
oundlng through the Jail tries of th
tioulevard. . .
Now I think of tt. father- when the
ararden-door is once upcn. hall we
Spoilsport with u?'
Yn; for If there W a watch-dog. h
will settle him. And then hp will give
us notice of I h approach of those who
go the round, he 1" In''1-
Itgent. so attached to Hose ami
Blanche, that (who known?! ho may
help to discover the pl.uv where they
re. Twenty nines I have, tf-a I
find thpm In the woods, l.y the moat
extraordinary Intulnii.'
A slow and solemn kn. ll hero ir
above the noise of the wind; it was the
flint stroke of twelve. 1
That no:e nemej to echo miMiriifully
through the souls of Agrieola and his
father. Mute with emotion, they
nhuddered. ami hy a spontaneous
movement, each grafted the hand of
the other. In spite of themselves, their
I thins la now to And them, without ac
cident or delay. Bnolbtnort will go be-
! fore a ecout Come, my good dog!"
! mlilnl liujioiH i t, alKv an - mir -..J ,
softly!" , 1
I immediately, the Intelligent anlnjal
advanced a few steps, sniffing and Hat-
' enlng with the care and caution of a
! hound searching for the game.
Ily th half-light of the clouded
' m.Hiii, imgohert and hU aon perceived
round them a V-shaped grove of tall
tree, at whh h several path met. Un
ci rtain which to ehoe. Agrieola aald
to hla f.Uher: l-et ua take the pa h that
rung alongside th wall. It will surely
lead to some building."
i "Right! l-et ud walk on the strips of
! grajw. inateud of through the mud. It,
! will make less nolae.'
I The father and son. preceded by the
Silierian dog, kept for some time In a
winding path, at no great distance
from the wall. They stopped now and
then to listen, or to satisfy themselves
txfore continuing their advance, with
retard lo the changing aspects of the
trees and hushes, which, shaken by the
wind, and faintly Illumined by the pale
light of the moon, often took strange
....... L.,t timfl in everv stroke of the and doubtful forms
clock as each sueceive vibration was Half-past twelve struck as Agrieola
prolonged through the gloomy silence and his father reached a large Iron
of the night 1 gate which shut In that part of the
At the last stroke, Dagoiieri sain io
Ms son, In a firm voice: It Is midnight.
Shake hands, and let us forward!"
The moment was decisive and sol
emn. 'Now, father.' said Agrlola, 'we
will act with as much craft and dartug
warden reserved for the superior the
same Into which Mother Hunch had In
truded herself, after seeing Itose Si- j
mon converse with Adrlenne da Card
ovllle. Throuirh the barg of this gate, Agrl-
... - ' . . . , m . , 1 11141a
M thieves going to pillage a irun ( coi na ins jaumr iri i -
box.'
'That Is true aald Agrieola. with
uueaslne. 'What Is to be doner
To call them at hap-haiard.' con
tinued Dagobert. "would lie to give the
alarm.'
'Oh, heavens!' cried Agrieola. with
Increasing anguish. To have arrived
here, under their windows, and yet not
to know!'
'Time presses." said Dagobert. hasti
ly, Interrupting his son; "we must run
all risks.'
m iiow, father?'
i will call out loud, "Rose and
Blanche -in ine.r o, ,,a.r, ,,.,,., ,noUK,lt ghe perceived
in mure thev do not aleCD. The will 1. . . . . 1
be stirring at my first summons. By
means of a sheet, fastened to the win
her window Is not graled.CMFWYP
dow. she w ho U on the first story will
In Ave minutes Ih In our arms. As for
4 he one on the ground floor If her
window Is not grated, we can have her
In a s-cond. If it Is. we shall soon
loosen one of the bars.'
'Hut, father this calling out aloud.'
Will not perhaps be heard."
I "Hut If It is heard all will lie lust.'
I 'Who knows? Before they hav lime
lo call the watch, and open several
doors, the children may be delivered.
Once at the entrance of the boulevard,
and we shall be safe.'
t Is a dangerous course; but I
no other.'
'If there are only two men, I and
Spoilsport will keep them In check,
while you will have time 10 carry off
the children.'
Father, there la a lietter way a
surer one,' cried Agrieola, suddenly.
From what Mother Bunch told us,
Mdlle. de Conlovllle has c i .w. i iiieu
by signs with Rose and Blanche.'
Yes.'
'Hence she knows where they are
So saying, the smith took from tne
lack the cord and uook; uswi
armed himself with the Iron bar. and
iHith advanced cautiously, followlm
the wall In the direction of the little
door, situated hot far from the angle
formed by the street and the boulevard.
They stopped from time to time, to
llHten attentively, trying to distinguish
those noises which were not caused
either by the high wind or the rain.
It continued light enough for them
to be able to see surrounding objects,
und the smith and thn soldier soon
gained the little door, which appeared
much decoyed, and hot very strong.
Good!' said Agrieo!a to his father.
'It will yield at one blow.
The smith was about to apply his
shoulder vigorously to the door, when
Spoilsport growled hoarsely, and mado
a 'point.' PuKObert silenced the dos
with a word, and grasping his son's
arm, said to him In a whisper: 'Ho not
dir. The dog has scent en some one m
the garden.'
Agrieola and his father remained for
pome minutes motionless, holding their
kreath and listening. The dog. In obe
dience to hia master, no longer growl
ed, but his uneasiness and agitation
were displayed more and more. Ytt
thev heard nothing.
"The dog must have been deceived,
father,' whispered Agrieola.
"I am sure of the contrary. Do not
move.'
After some seconds of expectation,
Spoilsport crouched down adruptlv.
and pushed his nosn as fr aa possible
ur.'U ' t! door, snuffini! un the air.
T',ry are coming,' said Dagobert
1- -V 1 1 his son.
U't us draw off a lit le distant", re-
dlstance an open paling, which Joined
a half-finished chapel, and beyond it a
little square building. I
'Thnt Is no doubt the building occu
pied by Mdlle. de Cardovlllo,' said
Agrieola.
'And the building which contain the
chambers of Rose and Illanche, but
which we cannot see from here, Is no
doubt opposite It,' said Dngobert. 'Poor
children! they are there, weeping tears
of despair,' added he, with profound
emotion.
Provided the gate be but open,' said
Agrieola.
It will probably be so being with
in the walls.'
Lot us go on gontly.'
The gate was only fastened by the
witch of the lock. Dagobert was about
to open It, when Agrieola said to him:
Take care! do not make it creak on ita
hinges.'
Snail 1 push it slowly or suddenly?
'Let me manage tt,' said Agrieola;
and he opened the gate bo quick y. na
tt creaked very little; still the noise
might have ben plainly heard, in the
lodged, as the poor children answered
her from their windows.
'You are right. There is only that
course to taka But how find her
room ?'
'Mother Bunch told me there was a
shade over the window.'
'Quick! we have only to break
through a wooden fence. Have you
the Iron bar?'
Here it is.'
'Then, quick!'
In a few steps, Dagobert and his son
had reached the paling. Three planks,
torn away by Agrieola, opened an easy
passage.
Kinialn here, father, and keep
watch, said he to Dagobert, as lie en
tered Dr. Balelnler's garden.
The Indicated window was easily
recognized. It was high and broad; a
sort of shade surmounted it, for this
window had once been a door, since
walled in to the third of its height. It
was protected by bars of iron, pretty
far apart. Since some minutes, the rain
had ceased. The moon, breaking
' through the clouds, shone full upon the
building. Agrieola, approaching the
1 window, saw that the room was per
fectly dark; but light came from a
room beyond, through a door left half
BlUmce of the night, during one of the ()n(,n jh(ll 8'lnllhi hoping thnt Mdlle
nllml Airrlwlln.
'No, said his father; 'we must listen. , turned round and
Tt will he time to retire, if they open seeking tne seem..
the door. Here. Spoilsport! down!"
The dog obeyed, and withdrawing
from the door, crouched down at the
feet of his master. Some stands after,
they heard a sort of Fplashing on the
damp ground, caused by heavy foot
uteps in puddles of water, and then the
nound of words, which, carried away
by the wind, did not reach distinctly
he ears of the soldier and me smim.
tVin anualla of wind. '
luiia ut'invtiii vmw wvi...
Agrieola, and his father remained
motionless for a moment, listening un
easilv. before they vetn i i. ,',i.s
through the gate. Nothing stirred,
however; all remained calm and still.
With fresh courage, they entered the
reserved garden.
Hardly had the dog arrived on this
spot, when he exhibited tokens of ex
traordinary delight. Pricking up Ms
ears, wagging hla tail, bounding rather
than running, he had soon reached the
puling where, In the morning, Rose Si
mon had for a moment conversed with
': Mdlle. de Cardovllle. He stopped an
i instant at this nlace. as If at fault, and
round like a aog
Dairobert and his son, leaving Spoil
sport to his instinct, followed his least
movements with Intense interest, hop
ing everything from his Intelligence
and his attachment to the orphans.
'It was no doubt near this paling
that Rose stood when Mother Bunch
saw her.' said Dagobert. 'Spoilsport la
on her track. Lot him alone.'
Aftor a few RAconds. the dog turned
tha people of whom Mother i hjg hea(1 towar(j9 Dagobert, and started
us. getng their round." said i at fu trot ln tne direction of a door
on the ground-floor of a building, op
Punch told
Arricola to his father.
'So much the better. There will he
an Interval before they come round
again, and we shall have some two
hours before us, without Interruption.
Our affair is all right now.'
By degrees, the sound of the foot
steps became less and loss die'inct, and
at last died away altogether.
'Now. quick! we must not lose any
time.' said Pngobert to his foi, after
waiting about ten minutes; "thy nre
far enough. Ut us try to open the
door.'
Agrieola leaned bis powerful shoul
der npalnst it, a"d pwhd vb'orous'v;
but the door did not give way, not
wlthstanding its age.
. 'Confound it!' said Agrieola: "there
s a bar on the Inside. I am sure of
It, or these old planks would not have
resisted my weight.'
'What Is to be done?'
1 will scale the wall by means of the
cord and hook, and open the door from
the other side.'
So saying. AtrHcola took the cord
and after several attempts, succeeded
In fixing the hook on the roping of the
wall.
Now. father, give me a leg up; I
will help mysolf up with the cord;
nee astride on the wall. I can easily
turn the hook, and got down into the
garden.'
The soldier leaned against the wall,
and Joined his two hands, In the hol-
nosite to that occupied by Adrlenne.
Arrived at this door, the dog lay down,
seemingly waiting for Dagobert
No doubt of It! the children are
there!' said Dagobert, hastening to re
join Spoilsport: "it was by this door
that they took Rose Into the house.'
I 'We must see if the windows are
grated." said Agrieola, following his
father.
! 'Well, old fellow!' whispered the
1 soldier, as he came up to the dog and
pointed to the building; 'are Rose and
Blanche there?'
I The dog lifted his head, and answer-
ed hy a joyful bark. Dagobert had Just
I time to seize the mouth of the animaj
I with his hands.
'He will ruin all!" excaimed the
i Rmith. "They have, perhaps, heard .
him.' I
No,' said Dagobert. 'But there is no
longer any doubt the children are
here.'
At this instant, the iron fate, by
which the soldier and his son had en
tered the reserved garden, and which
they had left open, fell to with a loud
noise.
"They've shut us in,' said Agrieola,
hastily; 'and there Is no other issue.'
For a moment, the father and son
looked in dismay at each other; but
Agrieola Instantly resumed: 'The gate
has perhaps shut of itself. I win mase
low of which his eon placed one of his j haste to assure myself of this, and to
feet, then mounting upon the robust ; open it again If possible.
ehoulders of his father, he was able,
by help of the cord, and some Irregu
larities in the wall, to reach the top.
Unfortunately, the smith had not per
ceived that the coping of the wall waa
strewed with broken .bottles, so that
fie wounded his knees and hands; bnt,
for fear of alarming Dagobert, he re
pressed every exclamation of pain, and
replacing the hook, he glided down the
cord to the ground. The door was
close bv. ai'd he hastened to it; a
strong wooden bar had indeed secured
it on the Inside. This was removed,
and the lock was in so bad a state,
that it offered no resistance to a vio
lent effort from Agrieola. The door
was opened, and Dagobert entered the
garden with Spoilsport
'Now, said the soldier to his son,
'thanka to you, the worst la over. Here
Is a meant of escape for the poor chil
dren, aad Mdlle. de Cardovllle. Th
Go quickly; I will examine the win-
dows.'
Agrieola flew towards the gate,
whilst Dagobert. gilding along the
wall, soon reached the windows on the
ground floor. They were four in num
ber, and two of them were not grated,
not Very far from the ground, and none
of the windows had bars. It would
then be easy for that one of the two
sisters, who inhabited this story, once
informed of their presence, to let her
self down by means of a Bheet, as the
orphans had already done to escape
from the Inn of the White Falcon.
Agrieola returned precipitately. It
was the wind, no doubt, which Bhut
the gate,' said he. 'I have opened It
again, and made It fast with a stone.
But we have no time to lose.'
'And how Bhall we know the win
dows of the poor children?" said Dus
bert. anxiously.
de Cardovllle might be still awake,
tapped lightly at the window. Soon
after, ihe dour ln the background open
ed entirely, and Mdlle. do tlamov.-ie,
who had not yet gone to bed, came
from the other chamber, dressed as she
had been at her interview with Mother
Bunch. Her charming, feature were
visible by the light of the tapc she
held in her hand. Their present ex
pression was that of surprise and anx
iety. The young girl sot down the
candlestick on the table, and appeared
to listen attentively as she aproached
the window. Suddenly she started,
and stopped abruptly. She had Just
discerned the face of a man, looking at
kar thrrmirh the window. AeriCOla.
iettrillK tU. WUIIC, lie vai v
would retire In terror to the next
room, again tapped on the glass, and
running the risk of being heard by
others, said in a pretty loud voice: "It
is Agrieola Baudoln.'
I These words reached the ears of
Adrlenne. Instantly remembering her
interview with Mother Bunch, she
thought that Agrieola and Dagobert
. . . . a .v .
must nave enterea me conveni iur vuu
purpose of carrying off Rose and
Blanche. She ran to the window, re
cognized Agrieola in the clear moon
light, and cautiously opened the case
ment. 'Madame." said the smith, hastily;
'there is not an instant to lose. The
Count de Montbron Is not ln Paris. My
father and myself have come to deliver
j von.'
I 'Thanks, thanks, M. Agrieola!' said
Mdlle. de Cordoville, in a tone expres
sive of the most touching gratitude;
but think first of the daughters of
General Simon.'
'We do think of them, madame, I
have come to ask you which are their
windows.'
'One is on the ground floor, the last
on the garden side; the other is exactly
over it. on the first story.'
Then they are saved!" cried the
smith.
'But let me see!' resumed Adrlenne,
hastily: 'the first story is pretty nigh,
You will find near the chapel they are
building, some long poles belonging to
the scaffolding. They may be of use to
vou.
They will be as good as a ladder, to
reach the upstairs window, uut now to
think of you, madame.'
'Think only of the dear orphans.
Time presses. Provided they are de
livered tonight, it makes little differ
ence to me to remain a day or two
longer in this house."
'No, mademoiselle," cried tne smiia,
'it la of the first importance that you
should leave this place tonight In
terests are concerned, of which you
know nothing. I'm now sure of it."
what do vou mean?"
'I have not time to explain myself
further: but I conjure you, madame,
to come. I can wrench out two of these
Mrs- i will fetch a niece of Iron'
it is not necesearv. They are satis
fied with locking the outer door of
this building, which I inhabit alone.
.. . 1 ,1,. '
Ynn can easily oreaa oueu mr iwn..
And in ten minutes we shall be on
the boulevard .' said the smith. 'Make
yourself ready, madame; take a shawl,
a bonnet, for the night Is cold. 1
will return instantly. '
M. Agrieola.' said Adrlenne, with
tears in her eyes, 'I know what you
rlolr for Tn v Rnkp. I shall Drove to
vou. I hone, that I have as good
memory as you have. You and your
adopted sister are noble and valiant
creatures, and 1 am proud to be in
dented to vou. But do not return for
me till the daughters
Simon are In safety.'
'Thank to your directions; the
thing will lie done directly, madame.
1 fly to rejoin my father, and we will
tome together and fetch you.'
Following the excellent advice of
Mdle. de Cardoville, Agrieola took one
of the long, strong poles, that rested
against the walls of the chapel, and,
liearing it on his robust shoulders,
hastened to rejoin his father. Hardly
had Agrieola passed the fence, to di
rect his steps toward the chapel, ob
rod In the shadow, than Mdle. de
a
human form Issue from one of the
clumps of trees In the convent garden,
cross the path hastily, and disappear
behind a high hedge of box. Alarmed
at the sight. Adrlenne in vain called
lo Agrieola In a low voice, to bid him
beware. He could not hear her; he
had already rejoined his father, who,
devoured by Impatience, went from
window to window with ever increas-
lng anguish.
We are saved.' whispered Agrieola.
'Those are the windows of the poor
children one on the ground floor,
the other on the first story.
'At lasV" said Dagobert, with a
burst of joy Imposlble to describe. He
ran lo examine the windows. "They
are not grated,' he exclaimed.'
Ia1 us make sure that one of them
is there,' said Agrieola: 'then by
placing this pole against the wall,
1 will climb up to the first story,
which is not so very high.'
'R'ght. my boy. Once there tap at
the window, and call Rose or Blanche.
When she answers come down. We
will rest the pole against the win
dow, and the poor child can slide
along It They are bold and active,
Ouiek, quick, to work!"
'And then we'll deliver Mdle. Car
doville.'
Whilst Agrieola placed his pole
against the wall, and prepared to
mount, Dngobert tapped at the panes
of the last window on the ground
floor, and said aloud: 'It is I, Dago
bert'
Rose Simon, indeed, occupied the
chamber. The unhappy child, in de
spair at being separated from her sis
ter, was a prey to a burning fever
and. unable to sleep, watered her pil
low with her tears. At the sound of
the tapping on the glass, she started
up affrighted, then, hearing the voice
of the soldier that voice so familiar.
and so deal' she sat up in bed, press
ed her hands across her forehead, to
nssure herself that she wan not the
plaything of a dream, and wrapped in
her long night dress, ran to the win
dow with a cry of Joy. But suddenly
and before she could open the case
ments two reports of fire arms were
heard, accompanied by loud cries of
'Help, thieves!'
The orphan stood petrified with ter
ror, her eyes mechanically fixed upon
the window, through which she naw
confusedly, by the light of the moon
several men engaged ln a mortal
struggle, whilst the furious barking
of Spoilsport was heard above all the
incessant cries of 'Help! help! thieves!
murder!"
I Aval, house and church 110.000
Hennea. a house 20.000
Vannea. ditto 20.0o0
Met, d'tto 4'.0O0
Strasbourg O.Oon
Rouen, ditto 15.000
By this It appears that these various
appear that these various items
to little less than two millions.
Teaching, moreover, is another Im
portant source of revenue to the
Jesuits. The college at Broyclette
alone brings in JOO.OoO francs. The
two province in France for the gen
eral of the Jesuits at Rome has di
vided France Into two provinces, Ly
ons and Paris) possess, besides a
large sum of ready money, Austrian
bonds more than 20O.O0O Trancs. Their
propagation of faith furnishes annu
ally some &0.(KH) francs, and the har
vest which tne priests collect iy tneir
sermons amount to 130,000 francs.
The alms given for charity may lie
estimated at the same figure, produc-
ng together a revenue of 510,000
francs. Now, to this revenue may
be added the produce of the society's
work, and the profit obtained by
hawking pictures. Each plate costs,
design and engraving concluded,
about 600 francs, off which are struck
about 10.000 copies, at 40 francs per
thousand, and there is a further ex
pense of 250 francs to the publisher;
and they obtain a net profit of 210
francs on every thousand. This, in
deed. Is working to advantage. And
it can easily be imagined with what
rapidity all these are sold. The
fathers themselves are tne travelers
for the society ,and it would be diffi
cult to find more zealous or persever
ing ones. They are always well re
ceived and do not know what it is to
meet with a refusal. They always
take care that the publisher should be
one of their own body. The first
person whom they select for this oc
cupation was one of their members,
possessing some money; but they
were obliged, notwithstanding, to
make certain advances to enable him
to defray the expenses of the first es
tablishment. But when they finally
became fully convinced of the suc
cess of their undertaking they sud
denly called in these advances, which
the publisher was not in a condition
to pay. They were perfectly aware
of this, and superseded him with a
wealthy successor, with whom they
could make a better bargain; and
thus, without remorse, they ruined the
man, by thrusting him from an ap
pointment of which they had morally
guaranted the continuance.
CHAPTtv XIV.
THE EVE OF A GREAT DAY.
About two hourse before the event
last related took place at St. Mary's
Convent, Rod'n and Abbe d'Aiprigny
met in the room where we have al
ready seen them, in the Rue du Mil-ieu-des-Ursins.
Since the revolution
of July Father d'Algrlgny had thought
proper for the moment to remove to
this temporary habitation all the
secret archives and correspondence of
his Order a prudent measure, since
he had every reason to fear that the
reverend fathers would be expelled
by the state from that magnificent
establishment, with which the restor
ation had so liberally endowed their
Bociety.
This was an Idle fear, for we read
in the Constitutionel, Feb. 1, 1832. as
follows: "When, in 1822. M. de Cor
biere abruptly abolished the splendid
Normal school, which, during its few
years of existence, had called forth or
developed such a variety of talent. It
was decided, as some compensation
that a house in the Rue des Postes
should be purchased, where the Con
gregation of the Holy Ghost should
be located and endowed. The Minis
ter of Marine supplied the funds for
this purpose, and the management
was placed at the disposal of the So
ciety, which then reigned over France.
From that period it has held quiet
possession of the place, which at once
became a sort of a house of enter
tainment, where Jesuits sheltered,
and provided for, the numerous novi
elates that flocked from all parts of
the country, to receive Instruction
from Father Rosnin. Matters were in
this state when the revolution of July
broke out, which threatened to de
prive the Society of this establish
ment.. But it will hardly be believed,
this was not done. It was true that
they suppressed their practice, but
they left them in possession of the
house in the Rue des Postes; and to
this very day, the 31st of January,
1832, the members of the Sacred Heart
are housed at the expense of govern
ment, during the whole of which time
the normal school has been without
a sheltei- and, on its reorganization,
thrust into a dirty hole in a narrow
corner of the College of Louis the
Great.
The above appeared in the Consti
tutionel, respecting the house in the
Rue des Postes. We are certainly ig
norant as to the nature of the trans
actions, since that period, that have
taken place between the reverend
fathers and the government; but we
read further, in a recently published
article that appeared in a journal, ln
reference to the Society of Jesus, that
the house in the Rue des Postes still
forms a part of their landed property.
We will here give some portions of
the article in question.
'The following is a list of the prsp
erty belonging to this branch of the
Jesuits:
Francs.
House In the Rue des Postes,
worth about 500,000
One In the Rue de Sevres, es
timated at 300,000
Farm, two leagues from Paris 150,000
House and church at Bourges. 100,000
Notre Dame de Liesse, dona
tion in 1843 60,000
Saint Acheul, house for novi
ciates 400.000
Nantes, a house 100.000
Qulmper, ditto 40,000
Rodin, dressed in his usual sordid
style, mean and dirty as ever, was
writing modestly at his desk, faithful
to his humble part as secretary
which concealed, as we have al
ready seen, a far more important of
fice that of soeius a function which
according to the constitution of the
order, consists in never quitting his
superior, watching his least actions
spying into his every thoughts, and
reporting all to Rome.
In spite of his usual Impassability,
Rodin appeared visibly uneasy and
absent In mind; he answered even
more briefly than usual to the com
roands and questions of Father d'Aig-
rlgny, who had but just entered the
room.
Has anything new occurred during
my absence; askea ne. Are ine re
ports still favorable?
Very favorable.
Read them to me.'
Before giving this account to your
reverence, said Konin, I must inrorm
you that Morok has been two days in
Paris.'
Morok?' said Abbe d'Aigrigny with
surprise. 'I thought on leaving Ger
many and Switzerland, he had receiv
ed from Friburg the order to proceed
southward. At Nismes. or Avignon,
he would at this moment be useful as
an agent; for the Protestants begin to
move, and we fear a re-action against
the Catholics.'
I do not know,' said Rodin, 'if Mo
rok may not have had private rea
sons for changing his route. His os
tensible reasons are, that he comes
here to give performances.'
'How so."
A dramatic agent, passing through
Lyons, engaged him and his meagerie
for the Port St. Martin Theater at a
very high price. He says that he did
not like to refuse such an offer.'
'Well,' said Father d'Aigrigny,
shrugging his shoulders, 'but by dis
tributing his little oooks, and selling
prints and chaplets as well as by the
influence he would certainly exercise
over the ignorant people of the south
or of Brittany, he might render servi
ces, such as he can never perform in
Paris."
'He is now below, with a kind of
giant, who travels about with him
In bis capacity of his reverence's old
servant, Morok hoped to have the
honor of kissing your hand this even
ing.' :
'Impossible impossible you know
how much I am occupied. Have you
sent to the Rue Saint Francois?
Yes, I have. The old Jew guardian
has had notice from the notary. To
morrow, at six in the morning, the
masons will unwall the door, and, for
the first time since a hundred and
fifty years the house will be opened.'
Father d'Aigrigny remained in
thought for a moment, and then said
to Rodin: 'On the eve of such a de
cisive day we must neglect nothing,
and call every circumstance to mem
ory. Read me the copy of the note
inserted in the archives of the socie
ty, a century and a half ago, on the
subject of Renneport'
The secretary took the note from
the case and read as follows:
'This 19th day of February, 1682,
the Reverend Father Provincial Al
exander Bourdon sent the following
advice, with these words in the mar
gin: Of extreme importance for the
future.
' "Wre have just discovered, by the
confession of a dying person to one of
our fathers, a very close secret
"Marquis de Renneport, one of the
most active and redoubtable partisans
of the Reformed Religion, and one of
the most determined enemies of our
Holy Society, had apparently re-en
tered the pale of our Mother Church,
but with the sole design of saving his
worldly goods, threatened with con
flscatlon because of his irreligious and
damnable errors. Evidence having
been furnished by different persons of
our company that the conversion of
Renneport was not sincere, and in
reality covered a sacraligious lure, the
possessions of said gentleman, now
considered a relapsed heretic, were
confiscated by our gracious overeign.
his maiestr King Loui XIV., "c
the said Renneport wa condemned to i
he galleys for life." He escaped nis
doom by a voluntary death; ln conse
quence of which abominable crime ms
body was dragged upon a hurdle, and
ung to the dogs on the highway.
"From these preliminaries we
come to the great secret, which is of
uch importance to the future Inter
est of our society.
"Hia majesty. Loui XIV.. in nl
paternal and Catholic goodness to
wards the Church In general and our
order in particular, had granted to us
the profit of this confiscation. In
acknowledgment of our services in
discovering the infamous and sacra-
egious relapse of the said Itennepont.
But we have Just learned for cer
tain, that a house situated In 1'arls,
No. 3, Rue Saint Francois, and a sum
of fifty thousand gold crowns, have
escaped this confiscation, and have
consequently been 6tolen from our
society.
The bouse was conveyed before
the confiscation by means of a forged
purchase to a friend of Renneponf
a good Catholic unfortunately, as
against him we cannot take any se
vere measures. Thanks to the culpa
ble, but to secure connivance of his
friend the house has been walled up.
and is only to opened In a century and
half, according to the last will of
Rennepont As to lue fifty thousand
gold crowns, they have been placed In
hands which, unfortunately, are hith
erto unknown to us, in order to be
invested and put out to use for one
hundred and fifty years, at the expira
tion of which time they are to be di
vided between the then existing de
scendants of the said Rennepont; and
it is calculated that this sum, increas
ed by so many accumulations, will
then have become enormous, and will
amount to at least forty or fifty
millions of livre8 tournols. From mo
tives which are not known, but which
are duly stated in a testamentary doc
ument, the said Rennepont has con
cealed from his family, whom the
edicts against the Protestants have
driven out of France, the Investment
of these fifty thousand crowns; and
has only desired his relations to pre
serve their line, from generation to
generation, the charge to the last sur
vivors to meet in Paris, Rue Saint
Francois, a hundred and fifty years
hence, on February the 13th, 1832. And
that this charge might not be forgot
ten, he employed a person whose de
scription is known, but not his real
occupation, to cause to be manufac
tured sundry bronze medals, on which
the requests and dates are engraved,
and to deliver to each member of the
family a measure the more necessary
as, from some other motive equally
unknown, but probably explained in
the testament, the heirs are to pre
sent themselves on the day in ques
tion, before noon, in person, and not
by attorney, or representative, or to
forfeit all claim to the inheritance.
The stranger who undertook to dis
tribute the medals to the different
members of the family of Rennponc.
is a man of thirty to thirty-six years
of age, of tall stature, and with a
proud and sad expression of counten
ance. He has black eyebrows, very
thick, and singularly joined together.
He is known as Joseph, and is much
suspected of being an active and
dangerous emissary of the wretched
republicans, and heretics of the seven
United Provinces. It results from
these promises that this sum, surrep
titiously confided by a relapsed her
etic into unknown hands, has escaped
the confiscation decreed in our favor
by our well beloved king. A serious
fraud and injury has therefore been
committed, and we are bound to take
every means to recover this our right.
If not Immediately, at leaBt In some
future time. Our society (being for
the greater glory of God and our
Holy Father) imperishable, it will bh
easy, thanks with the connection we
keep up with all parts of the world,
by means of missions and other estab
lishments, to follow the line of this
family of Rennepont from generation
to generation, without ever losing
sight of it so that a hundred and
fifty years hence, at the moment of
the division of this immense accumu
lation of property, our Company may
claim the Inheritance of which it has
been so treacherously deprived, and
recover it by any means In its power,
faus aut uefas, even by craft or vio
lence our Company not being bound,
to act tenderly with the future detain
ers of our goods, of which we have
been maliciously deprived by an in
famous and unscrupulous heretic
and because it is right to defend, pre
serve and recover one's own property
by every mans which the Lord may
place within one's reach. Until,
therefore, the complete restitution of
this wealth,, the family of Rennepont
must be considered as reprobate and
damnable, as the cursed seed of a
Cain, and always to be watched with
the utmost caution. And it is to
be recommended that every year from
this present date, a sort of inquisition
should be held as to the situation of
the successive members of this fam
ily." "
Rodin paused, and said to Father
d'Aligrigny: 'Here follows the ac
count, year by year, of the history of
this family, from the year 1682, to
our own day. It will be useless to
read this to your reverence.'
Quite useless, said Abbe d Aigrig-
ny. 'The note contains all the import
ant facts. Then, after a moment's
silence, he exclaimed, with an ex
pression of triumphant pride: 'How
great Is the power of the Association
when founded upon tradition and per
petuity! Thanks to this note, insert
ed in our archives a century and a
half ago, this family has been watched
from generation to generation our
Order has always had its eyes upon
them, following them to all points of
the globe, to which exile has distrib
uted them and at last, tomorrow, we
shall obtain possession of this prop
erty, at first inconsiderable, but which
a hundred and fifty years have raised
to a royal fortune. Yea, we Bhall
succeed, for we have torseen every
eventuality. One thing only trobulee
me.'
'What is that?' asked Rodin.
'The information that we have in
vain tried to obtain from the guar
dian of the house in the Rue Saint
Francois. Has the attempt been once
more made, as I directed?'
'It has ben made.'
'Well.'
'This time, as always before, the old