ois Marie de
Rennepont, priest, having established, by legal documents, his descent
on the father's side, and his relationship to the testator, and being at
this hour the only one of the descendants of the Rennepont family here
present, I open the testament in his presence, as it has been ordered."

So saying, the notary drew from its envelope the will, which had been
previously opened by the President of the Tribunal, with the formalities
required by law. Father d'Aigrigny leaned forward, and resting his elbow
on the table, seemed to pant for breath. Gabriel prepared himself to
listen with more curiosity than interest. Rodin was seated at some
distance from the table, with his old hat between his knees, in the
bottom of which, half hidden by the folds of a shabby blue cotton
handkerchief, he had placed his watch. The attention of the socius was
divided between the least noise from without, and the slow evolution of
the hands of the watch, which he followed with his little, wrathful eye,
as if hastening their progress, so great was his impatience for the hour
of noon.

The notary, unfolding the sheet of parchment, read what follows, in the
midst of profound attention:

Hameau de Villetaneuse,

"'February 13th, 1682.

"'I am about to escape, by death, from the disgrace of the galleys, to
which the implacable enemies of my family have caused me to be condemned
as a relapsed heretic.

"'Moreover, life is too bitter for me since the death of my son, the
victim of a mysterious crime.

"'At nineteen years of age--poor henry!--and his murderers unknown--no,
not unknown--if I may trust my presentiments.

"'To preserve my fortune for my son, I had feigned to abjure the
Protestant faith. As long as that beloved boy lived, I scrupulously kept
up Catholic appearances. The imposture revolted me, but the interest of
my son was concerned.

"'When they killed him, this deceit became insupportable to me. I
was watched, accused, and condemned as relapsed. My property has been
confiscated, and I am sentenced to the galleys.

"'Tis a terrible time we live in! Misery and servitude! sanguinary
despotism and religious intolerance! Oh, it is sweet to abandon life!
sweet to rest and see no more such evils and such sorrows!

"'In a few hours, I shall enjoy that rest. I shall die. Let me think
of those who will survive--or rather, of those who will live perhaps in
better times.

"'Out of all my fortune, there remains to me a sum o