d
clever fellows. Like many other adventurers, he had changed his name
on entering the world and I had never till now suspected that Julian
Montreuil was Bertrand Collinot. Well, when I saw what I had done, I was
exceedingly sorry, for I had liked my companion well enough not to wish
to hurt him; besides, I was a little afraid of him. I took horse, and
went about some other business I had to execute, nor did I visit that
part of the country again, till a week ago (now I come to the other
business), when I was summoned to the death-bed of my half-brother the
attorney, peace be with him! He suffered much from hypochondria in
his dying moments,--I believe it is the way with people of his
profession,--and he gave me a sealed packet, with a last injunction to
place it in your hands and your hands only. Scarce was he dead--(do not
think I am unfeeling, Sir, I had seen very little of him, and he was
only my half-brother, my father having married, for a second wife,
a foreign lady who kept an inn, by whom he was blessed with
myself)--scarce, I say, was he dead when I hurried up to town.
Providence threw you in my way, and you shall have the document upon two
conditions."

"Which are, first to reward you; secondly, to--"

"To promise you will not open the packet for seven days."

"The devil! and why?"

"I will tell you candidly: one of the papers in the packet I believe
to be my brother's written confession,--nay, I know it is,--and it will
criminate one I have a love for, and who, I am resolved, shall have a
chance of escape."

"Who is that one? Montreuil?"

"No: I do not refer to him; but I cannot tell you more. I require the
promise, Count: it is indispensable. If you don't give it me, _parbleu_,
you shall not have the packet."

There was something so cool, so confident, and so impudent about this
man, that I did not well know whether to give way to laughter or to
indignation. Neither, however, would have been politic in my situation;
and, as I said before, the estates of Devereux were not to be risked for
a trifle.

"Pray," said I, however, with a shrewdness which I think did me
credit,--"pray, Mr. Marie Oswald, do you expect the reward before the
packet is opened?"

"By no means," answered the gentleman who in his own opinion was nothing
particular; "by no means; nor until you and your lawyers are satisfied
that the papers enclosed in the packet are sufficient fully to restore
you to the heritage of Devereux Co