CHAPTER XIII.

A MYSTERIOUS LETTER.--A DUEL.--THE DEPARTURE OF ONE OF THE FAMILY.

THE next morning I communicated to the Abbe my intention of proceeding
to London. He received it with favour. "I myself," said he, "shall soon
meet you there: my office in your family has expired; and your mother,
after so long an absence, will perhaps readily dispense with my
spiritual advice to her. But time presses: since you depart so soon,
give me an audience to-night in your apartment. Perhaps our conversation
may be of moment."

I agreed; the hour was fixed, and I left the Abbe to join my uncle and
his guests. While I was employing among them my time and genius with
equal dignity and profit, one of the servants informed me that a man at
the gate wished to see me--and alone.

Somewhat surprised, I followed the servant out of the room into the
great hall, and desired him to bid the stranger attend me there. In a
few minutes, a small, dark man, dressed between gentility and meanness,
made his appearance. He greeted me with great respect, and presented
a letter, which, he said, he was charged to deliver into my own hands,
"with," he added in a low tone, "a special desire that none should, till
I had carefully read it, be made acquainted with its contents." I was
not a little startled by this request; and, withdrawing to one of the
windows, broke the seal. A letter, enclosed in the envelope, in the
Abbe's own handwriting, was the first thing that met my eyes. At that
instant the Abbe himself rushed into the hall. He cast one hasty look
at the messenger, whose countenance evinced something of surprise and
consternation at beholding him; and, hastening up to me, grasped my hand
vehemently, and, while his eye dwelt upon the letter I held, cried,
"Do not read it--not a word--not a word: there is poison in it!" And so
saying, he snatched desperately at the letter. I detained it from him
with one hand, and pushing him aside with the other, said,--

"Pardon me, Father, directly I have read it you shall have that
pleasure,--not till then!" and, as I said this, my eye falling upon the
letter discovered my own name written in two places. My suspicions were
aroused. I raised my eyes to the spot where the messenger had stood,
with the view of addressing some question to him respecting his
employer, when, to my surprise, I perceived he was already gone; I had
no time, however, to follow him.

"Boy," said the Abbe, gasping for breath, and stil