ted quite enough mortal sins of debauchery and
irreligion without having these added to his list. As it was difficult
to take Antony's word for them without further investigation; as this
investigation was almost impossible, and as the clergy were too powerful
and too much interested in preventing a scandal to allow it, John
Mauprat was acquitted on the charge of complicity and merely sent back
to the Trappist monastery; the archbishop forbade him ever to set foot
in the diocese again, and, moreover, sent a request to his superiors
that they would never allow him to leave the convent. He died there a
few years later in all the terrors of a fanatic penitence very much akin
to insanity.

It is probable that, as a result of feigning remorse in order to find
favour among his fellows, he had at last, after the failure of his
plans, and under the terrible asceticism of his order, actually
experienced the horrors and agonies of a bad conscience and tardy
repentance. The fear of hell is the only creed of vile souls.

No sooner was I acquitted and set at liberty, with my character
completely cleared, than I hastened to Edmee. I arrived in time to
witness my great-uncle's last moments. Towards the end, though his mind
remained a blank as to past events, the memory of his heart returned. He
recognised me, clasped me to his breast, blessed me at the same time as
Edmee, and put my hand into his daughter's. After we had paid the last
tribute of affection to our excellent and noble kinsman, whom we were as
grieved to lose as if we had not long foreseen and expected his death,
we left the province for some time, so as not to witness the execution
of Antony, who was condemned to be broken on the wheel. The two false
witnesses who had accused me were flogged, branded, and expelled from
the jurisdiction of the court. Mademoiselle Leblanc, who could not
exactly be accused of giving false evidence, since hers had consisted of
mere inferences from facts, avoided the public displeasure by going to
another province. Here she lived in sufficient luxury to make us suspect
that she had been paid considerable sums to bring about my ruin.

Edmee and I would not consent to be separated, even temporarily, from
our good friends, my sole defenders, Marcasse, Patience, Arthur, and the
Abbe Aubert. We all travelled in the same carriage; the first two, being
accustomed to the open air, were only too glad to sit outside; but we
treated them on a footing