urt and its demesnes."

There was something fair in this; and as the only penalty to me incurred
by the stipulated condition seemed to be the granting escape to the
criminals, I did not think it incumbent upon me to lose my cause from
the desire of a prosecution. Besides, at that time, I felt too happy to
be revengeful; and so, after a moment's consideration, I conceded to
the proposal, and gave my honour as a gentleman--Mr. Oswald obligingly
dispensed with an oath--that I would not open the packet till the end of
the seventh day. Mr. Oswald then drew forth a piece of paper, on which
sundry characters were inscribed, the purport of which was that, if,
through the papers given me by Marie Oswald, my lawyers were convinced
that I could become master of my uncle's property, now enjoyed by Gerald
Devereux, I should bestow on the said Marie L5000: half on obtaining
this legal opinion, half on obtaining possession of the property. I
could not resist a smile when I observed that the word of a gentleman
was enough surety for the safety of the man he had a love for, but that
Mr. Oswald required a written bond for the safety of his reward. One is
ready enough to trust one's friends to the conscience of another, but as
long as a law can be had instead, one is rarely so credulous in respect
to one's money.

"The reward shall be doubled if I succeed," said I, signing the paper;
and Oswald then produced a packet, on which was writ, in a trembling
hand,--"For Count Morton Devereux,--private,--and with haste." As soon
as he had given me this precious charge, and reminded me again of my
promise, Oswald withdrew. I placed the packet in my bosom, and returned
to my guests.

Never had my spirit been so light as it was that evening. Indeed the
good people I had assembled thought matrimony never made a man so little
serious before. They did not however stay long, and the moment they were
gone I hastened to my own sleeping apartment to secure the treasure I
had acquired. A small escritoire stood in this room, and in it I was
accustomed to keep whatever I considered most precious. With many a
wistful look and murmur at my promise, I consigned the packet to one of
the drawers of this escritoire. As I was locking the drawer, the sweet
voice of Desmarais accosted me. Would Monsieur, he asked, suffer him to
visit a friend that evening, in order to celebrate so joyful an event
in Monsieur's destiny? It was not often that he was addicted to vulgar