onour was not above the universal dishonesty which
disgraced and wrecked his unfortunate country.

I had suspected his intimacy with Prevost had some less honourable
foundation than a pitying admiration for his unfortunate wife, and
I was confirmed in this by his proposal in my quarters one evening
that I should hand over to him some blanks, signed by St. Julhien,
on the Commissary, for stores, etc., which I was to requisition as
required.

"May I ask to what use you intend to put them?" I said, more to
sound him than for information, for this was one of the most favoured
forms of peculation in the colonies.

"Oh, none that you will ever know of, Chevalier; and I should think
an addition to your inadequate pay would not come amiss," he added,
artfully, without even an effort to veil his knavery.

The whole disgraceful, pettifogging scheme disgusted me; but,
because he was a much younger man than I, and I believed might be
in Prevost's power, I refrained from my natural indignation, and
passing over the personal affront, I spake to him with all the
consideration of a friend. I shewed him the path which he was
treading, and pointed out the inevitable disgrace which must attend
such a course, and most of all, the wretched meanness of so
contemptible a crime. But, to my astonishment, he was inclined to
excuse and cloak his wrong-doing.

"Sir," said I, "nothing is further from my liking than an artificial
morality, but I would avoid even the appearance of being cheaply
vicious. Do not weigh out the largest possible measure of dishonesty
to the smallest possible quantum of correction. If you must depart
from that path of virtue towards which we should all direct our
best endeavours, do so in a manner that will at least command the
admiration of gentlemen and the leniency of a Divine Being, who
may consider the frailty of the natural man, but never the tortuous
conclusions of his compromising intellect."

He was apparently sensible of my kindly advice, but I soon discovered
that he not only disregarded it, but was endeavouring to do me an
ill turn with the Commissary by directing his warped and jealous
suspicions towards my innocent attentions to his wife.

The word "innocent" I use advisedly, and lest the reader have any
doubt now or hereafter as to my intention touching the fair Madame
Provost, let me assure him I can lay my hand on my heart and aver
I never at any time held any warmer feeling towards her than the