ing him his peruke.

"Your pleasure, sir?" inquired the old man, peering at me through his
spectacles.

"I wish," replied I, "to ask your opinion relative to a disputed
succession."

"What is the property?"

"That of Monsieur Maurepas, who died some short time since."

"What, have we another claimant? If so, as I am employed by one party
already, you must go elsewhere. I wish Francois would make his
appearance and claim his own, poor fellow."

Delighted to find that the old gentleman had still a regard for me, I
made no scruple of making myself known.

"I am Francois, sir," replied I.

The old gentleman rose from his seat, and coming close to me, looked at
me earnestly in the face. After a minute's scrutiny,

"Well--I do believe you are; and pray, sir, where have you been all this
while?"

"That's what I cannot very well tell, but I have seen and suffered
much."

"But that's what you must tell, if you wish to obtain your
property--that is to say, you must tell me. Don't be afraid, Francois:
it is a part of our profession to be confidants to strange secrets, and
I think there are many locked up in this breast of more importance than
any which you can disclose."

"But, sir, if my life is concerned."

"What then--your life will be safe. If I told all I knew, I could hang
half Marseilles. But laying my professional duty aside, I wish you well;
so now sit down, and let me hear your narrative."

I felt that I could confide in my old acquaintance, and I therefore
commenced a detail of my adventures. When I stated my being wrecked near
Marseilles, he interrupted me, laughing--

"And you were the holy abbess?"

"I was."

"Well, I thought I recollected your face, when I came with the rest of
the Tom Fools to pay my respects to you: and when it was whispered that
a man had personified the holy abbess, I said to myself,'that it was
either Francois or the devil, 'but I never mentioned my suspicions."

When I had finished my narrative, he observed, "Now, Francois, there
will be some risk of proving your identity in a court of justice, which
the other parties will insist upon. What I should advise you to do, is,
to compromise with the party that employs me. Make over to him a
conveyance of all the property, on condition of your receiving one half,
or more if we can get it. I will represent you as a careless young man,
anxious to obtain money and spend it. If he agrees, you will obtain a
good round sum without