feebly；〃water：I　parch；I　burn！〃　　The　intruder　approached　the
  bed；　bent　over　him；　and　took　his　hand。　　〃Oh；　bless　thee；　Jean；
  bless　thee！〃　said　the　sufferer；　〃hast　thou　brought　back　the
  physician　already？　　Sir；　I　am　poor；　but　I　can　pay　you　well。　　I
  would　not　die　yet；　for　that　young　man's　sake。〃　　And　he　sat
  upright　in　his　bed；　and　fixed　his　dim　eyes　anxiously　on　his
  visitor。
  〃What　are　your　symptoms；　your　disease？〃
  〃Fire；　fire；　fire　in　the　heart；　the　entrails：　　I　burn！〃
  〃How　long　is　it　since　you　have　taken　food？〃
  〃Food！　only　this　broth。　　There　is　the　basin；　all　I　have　taken
  these　six　hours。　　I　had　scarce　drunk　it　ere　these　pains　began。〃
  The　stranger　looked　at　the　basin；　some　portion　of　the　contents
  was　yet　left　there。
  〃Who　administered　this　to　you？〃
  〃Who？　　Jean！　　Who　else　should？　　I　have　no　servant；none！　　I　am
  poor；　very　poor；　sir。　　But　no！　you　physicians　do　not　care　for　the
  poor。　　I　AM　RICH！　can　you　cure　me？〃
  〃Yes；　if　Heaven　permit。　　Wait　but　a　few　moments。〃
  The　old　man　was　fast　sinking　under　the　rapid　effects　of　poison。
  The　stranger　repaired　to　his　own　apartments；　and　returned　in　a
  few　moments　with　some　preparation　that　had　the　instant　result　of
  an　antidote。　　The　pain　ceased；　the　blue　and　livid　colour　receded
  from　the　lips；　the　old　man　fell　into　a　profound　sleep。　　The
  stranger　drew　the　curtains　round　the　bed；　took　up　the　light；　and
  inspected　the　apartment。　　The　walls　of　both　rooms　were　hung　with
  drawings　of　masterly　excellence。　　A　portfolio　was　filled　with
  sketches　of　equal　skill；but　these　last　were　mostly　subjects
  that　appalled　the　eye　and　revolted　the　taste：　　they　displayed　the
  human　figure　in　every　variety　of　suffering；the　rack；　the　wheel；
  the　gibbet；　all　that　cruelty　has　invented　to　sharpen　the　pangs　of
  death　seemed　yet　more　dreadful　from　the　passionate　gusto　and
  earnest　force　of　the　designer。　　And　some　of　the　countenances　of
  those　thus　delineated　were　sufficiently　removed　from　the　ideal　to
  show　that　they　were　portraits；　in　a　large；　bold；　irregular　hand
  was　written　beneath　these　drawings；　〃The　Future　of　the
  Aristocrats。〃　　In　a　corner　of　the　room；　and　close　by　an　old
  bureau；　was　a　small　bundle；　over　which；　as　if　to　hide　it；　a　cloak
  was　thrown　carelessly。　　Several　shelves　were　filled　with　books；
  these　were　almost　entirely　the　works　of　the　philosophers　of　the
  time；the　philosophers　of　the　material　school；　especially　the
  Encyclopedistes；　whom　Robespierre　afterwards　so　singularly
  attacked　when　the　coward　deemed　it　unsafe　to　leave　his　reign
  without　a　God。
  （〃Cette　secte　（les　Encyclopedistes）　propagea　avec　beaucoup　de
  zele　l'opinion　du　materialisme；　qui　prevalut　parmi　les　grands　et
  parmi　les　beaux　esprits；　on　lui　doit　en　partie　cette　espece　de
  philosophie　pratique　qui；　reduisant　l'Egoisme　en　systeme　regarde
  la　societe　humaine　comme　une　guerre　de　ruse；　le　succes　comme　la
  regle　du　juste　et　de　l'injuste；　la　probite　comme　une　affaire　de
  gout；　ou　de　bienseance；　le　monde　comme　le　patrimoine　des　fripons
  adroits。〃〃Discours　de　Robespierre；〃　Mai　7；　1794。　　（This　sect
  （the　Encyclopaedists）　propagate　with　much　zeal　the　doctrine　of
  materialism；　which　prevails　among　the　great　and　the　wits；　we　owe
  to　it　partly　that　kind　of　practical　philosophy　which；　reducing
  Egotism　to　a　system；　looks　upon　society　as　a　war　of　cunning；
  success　the　rule　of　right　and　wrong；　honesty　as　an　affair　of
  taste　or　decency：　　and　the　world　as　the　patrimony　of　clever
  scoundrels。））
  A　volume　lay　on　a　table；it　was　one　of　Voltaire；　and　the　page
  was　opened　at　his　argumentative　assertion　of　the　existence　of　the
  Supreme　Being。　　（〃Histoire　de　Jenni。〃）　　The　margin　was　covered
  with　pencilled　notes；　in　the　stiff　but　tremulous　hand　of　old　age；
  all　in　attempt　to　refute　or　to　ridicule　the　logic　of　the　sage　of
  Ferney：　　Voltaire　did　not　go　far　enough　for　the　annotator！　　The
  clock　struck　two；　when　the　sound　of　steps　was　heard　without。　　The
  stranger　silently　seated　himself　on　the　farther　side　of　the　bed；
  and　its　drapery　screened　him；　as　he　sat；　from　the　eyes　of　a　man
  who　now　entered　on　tiptoe；　it　was　the　same　person　who　had　passed
  him　on　the　stairs。　　The　new…comer　took　up　the　candle　and
  approached　the　bed。　　The　old　man's　face　was　turned　to　the　pillow；
  but　he　lay　so　still；　and　his　breathing　was　so　inaudible；　that　his
  sleep　might　well；　by　that　hasty；　shrinking；　guilty　glance；　be
  mistaken　for　the　repose　of　death。　　The　new…comer　drew　back；　and　a
  grim　smile　passed　over　his　face：　　he　replaced　the　candle　on　the
  table；　opened　the　bureau　with　a　key　which　he　took　from　his
  pocket；　and　loaded　himself　with　several　rouleaus　of　gold　that　he
  found　in　the　drawers。　　At　this　time　the　old　man　began　to　wake。
  He　stirred；　he　looked　up；　he　turned　his　eyes　towards　the　light
  now　waning　in　its　socket；　he　saw　the　robber　at　his　work；　he　sat
  erect　for　an　instant；　as　if　transfixed；　more　even　by　astonishment
  than　terror。　　At　last　he　sprang　from　his　bed。
  〃Just　Heaven！　do　I　dream！　　Thouthouthou；　for　whom　I　toiled
  and　starved！THOU！〃
  The　robber　started；　the　gold　fell　from　his　hand；　and　rolled　on
  the　floor。
  〃What！〃　he　said；　〃art　thou　not　dead　yet？　　Has　the　poison　failed？〃
  〃Poison；　boy！　　Ah！〃　shrieked　the　old　man；　and　covered　his　face
  with　his　hands；　then；　with　sudden　energy；　he　exclaimed；　〃Jean！
  Jean！　recall　that　word。　　Rob；　plunder　me　if　thou　wilt；　but　do　not
  say　thou　couldst　murder　one　who　only　lived　for　thee！　　There；
  there；　take　the　gold；　I　hoarded　it　but　for　thee。　　Go！　go！〃　and
  the　old　man；　who　in　his　passion　had　quitted　his　bed；　fell　at　the
  feet　of　the　foiled　assassin；　and　writhed　on　the　ground；the
  mental　agony　more　intolerable　than　that　of　the　body；　which　he　had
  so　lately　undergone。　　The　robber　looked　at　him　with　a　hard
  disdain。
  〃What　have　I　ever　done　to　thee；　wretch？〃　cried　the　old　man；
  〃what　but　loved　and　cherished　thee？　　Thou　wert　an　orphan；an
  outcast。　　I　nurtured；　nursed；　adopted　thee　as　my　son。　　If　men
  call　me　a　miser；　it　was　but　that　none　might　despise　thee；　my
  heir；　because　Nature　has　stunted　and　deformed　thee；　when　I　was　no
  more。　　Thou　wouldst　have　had　all　when　I　was　dead。　　Couldst　thou
  not　spare　me　a　few　months　or　days；nothing　to　thy　youth；　all
  that　is　left　to　my　age？　　What　have　I　done　to　thee？〃
  〃Thou　hast　continued　to　live；　and　thou　wouldst　make　no　will。〃
  〃Mon　Dieu！　　Mon　Dieu！〃
  〃TON　DIEU！　　Thy　God！　　Fool！　　Hast　thou　not　told　me；　from　my
  childhood；　that　there　is　NO　God？　　Hast　thou　not　fed　me　on
  philosophy？　　Hast　thou　not　said；　'Be　virtuous；　be　good；　be　just；
  for　the　sake　of　mankind：　　but　there　is　no　life　after　this　life'？
  Mankind！　why　should　I　love　mankind？　　Hideous　and　misshapen；
  mankind　jeer　at　me　as　I　pass　the　streets。　　What　hast　thou　done　to
  me？　　Thou　hast　taken　away　from　me；　who　am　the　scoff　of　this
  world；　the　hopes　of　another！　　Is　there　no　other　life？　　Well；
  then；　I　want　thy　gold；　that　at　least　I　may　hasten　to　make　the
  best　of　this！〃
  〃Monster！　　Curses　light　on　thy　ingratitude；　thy〃
  〃And　who　hears　thy　curses？　　Thou　knowest　there　is　no　God！　　Mark
  me；　I　have　prepared　all　to　fly。　　See；I　have　my　passport；　my
  horses　wait　without；　relays　are　ordered。　　I　have　thy　gold。〃　　（And
  the　wretch；　as　he　spoke；　continued　coldly　to　load　his　person　with
  the　rouleaus）。　　〃And　now；　if　I　spare　thy　life；　how　shall　I　be
  sure　that　thou　wilt　not　inform　against　mine？〃　　He　advanced　with　a
  gloomy　scowl　and　a　menacing　gesture　as　he　spoke。
  The　old　man's　anger　changed　to　fear。　　He　cowered　before　the
  savage。　　〃Let　me　live！　let　me　live！thatthat〃
  〃Thatwhat？〃
  〃I　may　pardon　thee！　　Yes；　thou　hast　nothing　to　fear　from　me。　　I
  swear　it！〃
  〃Swear！　　But　by　whom　and　what；　old　man？　　I　cannot　believe　thee；
  if　thou　believest　not　in　any　God！　　Ha；　ha！　behold　the　result　of
  thy　lessons。〃
  Another　moment　and　those　murderous　fingers　would　have　strangled
  their　prey。　　But　between　the　assassin　and　his　victim　rose　a　form
  that　seemed　almost　to　both　a　visitor　from　the　world　that　both
  denied；stately　with　majestic　strength；　glorious　with　awful
  beauty。
  The　ruffian　recoiled；　looked；　trembled；　and　then　turned　and　fled
  from　the　chamber。　　The　old　man　fell　again　to　the　ground
  insensible。
  CHAPTER　1。VIII。
  To　know　how　a　bad　man　will　act　when　in　power；　reverse　all　the
  doctrines　he　preaches　when　obscure。S。　Montague。
  Antipathies　also　form　a　part　of　magic　（falsely）　so…called。　　Man
  naturally　has　the　same　instinct　as　the　animals；　which　warns　them
  involuntarily　against　the　creatures　that　are　hostile　or　fatal　to
  their　existence。　　But　HE　so　often　neglects　it；　that　it　becomes
  dormant。　　Not　so　the　true　cultivator　of　the　Great　Science；　etc。
  Trismegistus　the　Fourth　（a　Rosicrucian）。
  When　he　again　saw　the　old　man　the　next　day；　the　stranger　found
  him　calm；　and　surprisingly　recovered　from　the　scene　and
  sufferings　of　the　night。　　He　expressed　his　gratitude　to　his
  preserver　with　tearful　fervour；　and　stated　that　he　had　already
  sent　for　a　rel