For　a　moment　it　almost　seemed　as　if　the　pair　of　them　would　have
  fallen　a…quarrelling。　　Their　words　grew　more　heated；　and　then；
  while　they　were　still　wrangling；　the　executioner　came　forward　to
  solve　matters　with　the　news　that　the　secretary　had　expired。　　To
  Bellecour　this　proved　a　very　welcome　conclusion。
  〃Most　opportunely！〃　he　laughed　〃Had　the　rascal　lived　another　minute
  I　think　we　had　quarrelled；　Cadoux。〃　　He　turned　to　the　servant；　〃You
  are　certain　that　it　is　so？〃　he　asked。
  〃Look；　Monsieur；〃　said　the　fellow；　as　he　pointed　with　his　whip　to
  the　pilloried　figure　of　La　Boulaye。　　The　Marquis　looked；　and　saw
  that　the　secretary　had　collapsed；　and　hung　limp　in　his　bonds；　his
  head　fallen　back　upon　his　shoulders　and　his　eyes　closed。
  With　a　shrug　and　a　short　laugh　Bellecour　turned　to　his　daughter。
  〃You　may　take　the　carrion；　if　you　want　to。　　But　I　think　you　can　do
  no　more　than　order　it　to　be　flung　into　a　ditch　and　buried　there。〃
  But　she　had　no　mind　to　be　advised　by　him。　　She　had　the　young　man's
  body　cut　down　from　the　pump；　and　she　bade　a　couple　of　servants
  convey　it　to　the　house　of　Master　Duhamel；　she　for　remembered　that
  La　Boulaye　and　the　old　pedagogue　were　friends。
  〃An　odd　thing　is　a　woman's　heart；〃　grumbled　the　Marquis；　who
  begrudged　La　Boulaye　even　his　last　act　of　mercy。　　〃She　may　care
  never　a　fig　for　a　man；　and　yet；　if　he　has　but　told　her　that　he
  loves　her；　be　he　never　so　mean　and　she　never　so　exalted；　he　seems
  thereby　to　establish　some　measure　of　claim　to　her。〃
  CHAPTER　IV
  THE　DISCIPLES　OF　ROUSSEAU
  The　Marquis　of　Bellecour　would；　perhaps　have　philosophised　less
  complacently　had　he　known　that　the　secretary　was　far　from　dead；
  and　that　what　the　executioner　had；　genuinely　enough；　mistaken　for
  death　was　no　more　than　a　passing　swoon。　　Under　ordinary
  circumstances　he　might　not　have　been　satisfied　to　have　taken　the
  fellow's　word；　he　would　himself　have　ascertained　the　truth　of　the
  statement　by　a　close　inspection　of　the　victim。　　But；　as　we　have
  seen；　the　news　came　as　so　desirable　a　solution　to　the　altercation
  that　was　waxing　'twixt　himself　and　Des　Cadoux　that　he　was　more
  than　glad　to　avail　himself　of　it。
  The　discovery　that　Caron　lived　was　made　while　they　were　cutting　him
  down　from　his　pillory；　and　just　as　the　Marquis　was　turning　to　go
  within。　　A　flutter　of　the　eyelids　and　a　gasp　for　breath　announced
  the　fact；　and　the　executioner　was　on　the　point　of　crying　out　his
  discovery　when　Mademoiselle's　eyes　flashed　him　a　glance　of　warning；
  and　her　voice　whispered　feverishly：
  〃Hush！　　There　are　ten　louis　for　each　of　you　if　you　but　keep　silent
  and　carry　him　to　Master　Duhamel　as　I　told　you。〃
  The　secretary　opened　his　eyes　but　saw　nothing；　and　a　low　moan
  escaped　him。　　She　shot　a　fearful　glance　at　the　retreating　figure　of
  her　father；　whilst　Gilles　…　the　executioner　…　hissed　sharply　into
  his　ear：
  〃Mille　diables！　be　still；　man。　　You　are　dead。〃
  Thus　did　he　escape；　and　thus　was　he　borne　…　a　limp；　agonised；　and
  bleeding　mass；　to　the　house　of　Duhamel。　　The　old　schoolmaster
  received　them　with　tears　in　his　eyes　…　nor　were　they　altogether　tears
  of　sorrow；　for　all　that　poor　Caron's　mangled　condition　grieved　him
  sorely；　they　were　in　a　measure　tears　of　thankfulness；　for　Duhamel　had
  not　dared　hope　to　see　the　young　man　alive　again。
  At　the　pedagogue's　door　stood　a　berline；　and　within　his　house　there
  was　a　visitor。　　This　was　a　slight　young　man　of　medium　stature；　who
  had　not　the　appearance　of　more　than　twenty…five　years　of　age；　for
  all　that；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　just　over　thirty。　　He　was
  dressed　with　so　scrupulous　a　neatness　as　to　convey；　in　spite　of　the
  dark　colour　of　his　garments；　an　impression　almost　of　foppishness。
  There　was　an　amplitude　about　his　cravat；　an　air　of　extreme　care
  about　the　dressing　of　his　wig　and　the　powdering　of　it；　and　a　shining
  brightness　about　his　buttons　and　the　buckles　of　his　shoes　which
  seemed　to　proclaim　the　dandy；　just　as　the　sombreness　of　the　colour
  chosen　seemed　to　deny　it。　　In　his　singularly　pale　countenance　a
  similar　contradiction　was　observable。　　The　weak；　kindly　eyes　almost
  appeared　to　give　the　lie　to　the　astute　prominence　of　his　cheekbones；
  the　sensitiveness　of　the　mouth　seemed　neutralised　by　the　thinness
  of　the　lips；　whilst　the　oddly　tip…tilted　nose　made　a　mock　of　the
  austerity　of　the　brow。
  He　was　perfectly　at　ease　in　his　surroundings；　and　as　La　Boulaye　was
  carried　into　the　schoolmaster's　study　and　laid　on　a　couch；　he　came
  forward　and　peered　curiously　at　the　secretary's　figure；　voicing　an
  inquiry　concerning　him。
  〃It　is　the　young　man　of　whom　I　was　telling　you；　Maximilien；〃　answered
  Duhamel。　　〃I　give　thanks　to　God　that　they　have　not　killed　him
  outright。　　It　is　a　mercy　I　had　not　expected　from　those　wolves；　and
  one　which；　on　my　soul；　I　cannot　understand。〃
  〃Monsieur；〃　said　Gilles；　〃will　understand　it　better　perhaps　if　I
  tell　you　that　the　Marquis　believes　him　to　be　dead。　　He　was　cut　down
  for　dead；　and　when　we　discovered　that　he　still　lived　it　was
  Mademoiselle　who　prevailed　upon　us　to　save　him。　　She　is　paying　us
  to　keep　the　secret；　but　not　a　fortune　would　tempt　me　if　I　thought
  the　Seigneur　were　ever　likely　to　hear　of　it。　　He　must　be　got　away
  from　Bellecour；　indeed；　he　must　be　got　out　of　Picardy　at　once；
  Monsieur。　　And　you　must　promise　me　that　this　shall　be　done　or　we
  will　carry　him　back　to　the　Chateau　and　tell　the　Marquis　that　he
  has　suddenly　revived。　　I　must　insist；　Monsieur；　for　if　ever　it
  should　transpire　that　he　was　not　dead　the　Seigneur　would　hang　us。〃
  The　stranger's　weak　eyes　seemed　to　kindle　in　anger；　and　his　lips
  curled　until　they　exaggerated　the　already　preposterous　tilt　of　his
  nose。
  〃He　would　hang　you；　eh？〃　said　he。　　〃Ma　foi；　Duhamel；　we　shall　change
  all　this　very　soon；　I　promise　you。〃
  〃God　knows　it　needs　changing；〃　growled　Duhamel。　　〃It　seems　that　it
  was　only　in　the　Old　Testament　that　Heaven　interfered　with　human
  iniquity。　　Why　it　does　not　rain　fire　and　brimstone　on　the　Chateau
  de　Bellecour　passes　the　understanding　of　a　good　Christian。　　I'll
  swear　that　in　neither　Sodom　nor　Gomorrah　was　villainy　more　rampant。
  The　stranger　plucked　at　his　sleeve　to　remind　him　of　the　presence
  of　the　servants　from　the　Chateau。　　Duhamel　turned　to　them。
  〃I　will　keep　him　concealed　here　until　he　is　able　to　get　about；〃
  he　assured　them。　　〃Then　I　shall　find　him　the　means　to　leave　the
  province。〃
  But　Gilles　shook　his　head；　and　his　companion　grunted　an　echo　of
  his　disapproval。
  〃That　will　not　serve；　master；〃　he　answered　sullenly。　　〃What　if　the
  Seigneur　should　have　word　of　his　presence　here？　　It　is　over…dangerous。
  Someone　may　see　him。　　No；　no；　Either　he　leaves　Bellecour　this　very
  night；　and　you　swear　that　he　shall；　or　else　we　carry　him　back　to　the
  Chateau。〃
  〃But　how　can　I　swear　this？〃　cried　Duhamel　impatiently。
  〃Why；　easily　enough；〃　put　in　the　stranger。　　〃　Let　me　take　him　in　my
  berline。　　I　can　leave　him　at　Amiens　or　at　Beauvais；　or　any　one　of
  the　convenient　places　that　I　pass。　　Or　I　can　even　carry　him　on　to
  Paris　with　me。〃
  〃You　are　very　good；　Maximilien；〃　answered　the　old　man；　to　which　the
  other　returned　a　gesture　of　deprecation。
  In　this　fashion；　then；　was　the　matter　settled　to　the　satisfaction
  of　the　Seigneur's　retainers；　and　upon　having　received　Duhamel's
  solemn　promise　that　Caron　should　be　carried　out　of　Bellecour；　and；
  for　that　matter；　out　of　Picardy；　before　the　night　was　spent；　they
  withdrew。
  Within　the　schoolmaster's　study　he　whom　Duhamel　called　Maximilien
  strode　to　and　fro；　his　hands　clasped　behind　his　back；　his　head　bent；
  his　chin　thrust　forward；　denouncing　the　seigneurial　system；　of　whose
  atrocity　he　had　received　that　evening　instances　enough　…　for　he　had
  heard　the　whole　story　of　La　Boulaye's　rebellion　against　the　power
  of　Bellecour　and　the　causes　that　had　led　to　it。
  〃We　will　mend　all　this；　I　promise　you；　Duhamel；〃　he　was　repeating。
  〃But　not　until　we　have　united　to　shield　the　weak　from　oppression；
  to　restrain　the　arrogant　and　to　secure　to　each　the　possession　of
  what　belongs　to　him；　not　until　all　men　are　free　and　started　upon
  equal　terms　in　the　race　of　life；　not　until　we　shall　have　set　up
  rules　of　justice　and　of　peace；　to　which　all　…　rich　and　poor；　noble
  and　simple　alike　…　shall　be　obliged　to　conform。　　Thus　only　can　we
  repair　the　evil　done　by　the　caprice　of　fortune；　which　causes　the
  one　to　be　born　into　silk　and　the　other　into　fustian。　　We　must
  subject　the　weak　and　the　mighty　alike　to　mutual　duties；　collecting
  our　forces　into　the　supreme　power　to　govern　us　all　impartially　by
  the　same　laws；　to　protect　alike　all　members　of　the　community；　to
  repel　our　common　foes　and　preserve　us　in　never…ending　concord。　　How
  many　crimes；　murders；　wars；　miseries；　horrors　shall　thus　be　spared
  us；　Duhamel？　　And　it　will　come；　it　will　come　soon；　never　fear。〃
  Caron　stirred　on　the　couch　where　Duhamel　was　tending　him；　and　raised
  his　head　to　glance　at　the　man　who　was　voicing　the　doctrines　that　for
  years　had　dwelt　in　his　heart。
  〃Dear　Jean　Jacques；〃　he　murmured。
  The　stranger　turned　sharply　and　stepped　to　the　young　man's　side。
  〃You　have　read　the　master？〃　he　inquired；　with　a　sudden；　new…born
  interest　in　the　secretary。
  〃Read　him？〃　cried　Carom　forgetting　for　the　moment　the