" said the governor, turning towards me, "the secretary
will wait on you after breakfast to receive the fees of initiation, and
such information as you desire to afford him for your coming amongst
us, both being perfectly discretionary with you. He who desires the
privilege of our amicable reunion soon learns the conditions on which to
obtain it. The enjoyments of our existence here are cheap at any price.
Le Pere d'Oligny, yonder, will tell you life is short,--very few here
are likely to dispute the assertion, and perhaps the Abbe, Thomas may
give you a strong hint how to make the best of it."

"_Parbleu_, governor I you forget the Abbe, left us this morning."

"True, true; how my memory is failing me! The dear Abbe, did leave us,
sure enough."

"Where for?" said I, in a whisper.

"La Plaine de Grenelle," said the person beside me, in a low tone. "He
was guillotined at five o'clock."

A sick shudder ran through me; and though the governor continued his
oration, I heard not a word he spoke, nor could I arouse myself from
the stupor until the cheers of the party, at the conclusion of the
harangue, awoke me.

"The morning looks fine enough for a walk," said the man beside me.
"What say you to the gardens?"

I followed him without speaking across the court and down a flight of
stone steps into a large open space, planted tastefully with trees, and
adorned by a beautiful fountain. Various walks and alleys traversed
the garden in every direction, along which parties were to be seen
walking,--some laughing, some reading aloud the morning papers; but
all engaged, and, to all seeming, pleasantly. Yet did their reckless
indifference to life, their horrible carelessness of each other's fate,
seem to me far more dreadful than any expression of sorrow, however
painful; and I shrank from them as though the contamination of their
society might impart that terrible state of unfeeling apathy they were
given up to. Even guilt itself had seemed less repulsive than this
shocking and unnatural recklessness.

Pondering thus, I hurried from the crowded path, and sought a lonely,
unfrequented walk which led along the wall of the garden. I had not
proceeded far when the low but solemn notes of church music struck on my
ear. I hastened forward, and soon perceived, through the branches of a
beech hedge, a party of some sixteen or eighteen persons kneeling on the
grass, their hands lifted as if in prayer, while they joined in a psalm
tu