ything that
would yield money, they then came away and went to the place where they
laid up their spoils. There it was resolved to divide the booty, and
Perrier claimed the largest share, as well in right of his having put
them upon that project, as that he had assisted more strenuously in the
execution of it than any of them; for when men associate themselves to
commit wickedness, he who surpasses the rest in villainy claims the same
reward, and from the same reasons, as he who in another society
surpasses all his neighbours in virtue. When this execrable fact was
over, and he had secured his share in the plunder, he returned home to
the house of his master, and remained in carrying on the ordinary course
of business of his master.

About two days after, it happened that a man who had business with the
old gentleman called at his country house, and after knocking a good
while at the door, finding that nobody answered, he went to town, and
meeting with Jacques Perrier at his master's house, he told him of his
calling upon him in the country, and that he found nobody there. Jacques
counterfeited the greatest surprise at the news, and calling many
assistants, went down immediately to his master's seat, and with all the
seeming horror imaginable, became a second time a witness of those
barbarities which he and his villainous associates had committed. At the
sight of the murdered maid in the kitchen, he cried out with the
greatest vehemence, and seemed in an agony of sorrow; but when he saw
the body of his master, he roared and stamped, he cried out, tore his
hair and threw himself upon the body as if he had never more intended to
have drawn breath. All the persons he had carried with him were
effectually deceived by his behaviour, and were under apprehensions lest
his too violent grief should throw him into a fever or prompt him to lay
hands upon himself. He was not contented with acting thus upon the spot,
but resolved to play it over again when he came back to Paris. There
abundance of people pitied him, and looked on him as one whom the
sincere love he had for his master had drawn to the utmost despair by
reason of his unfortunate death.

But one of the old gentleman's relations, who was a man of more
penetration than the rest, began to suspect his excessive affliction,
and by his arguments drew another gentleman, who was also interested in
the family affairs, to be of his opinion; whereupon Jacques was
apprehended on