the　slain　man；　for　the　express　purpose　of　recovering　his　remains；
  and　I　wish　to　see　the　paper　found　on　the　body；　because　I　believe
  that　paper　will　identify　it　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　relative
  to　whom　I　have　referred。　Do　you　find　my　reply　sufficiently
  straightforward？　And　do　you　mean　to　give　me　permission　to　look　at
  the　paper？〃
  〃I　am　satisfied　with　your　reply；　and　see　no　reason　for　refusing
  you　a　sight　of　the　paper；〃　said　the　father　superior；　〃but　I　have
  something　to　say　first。　In　speaking　of　the　impression　produced　on
  you　by　beholding　the　corpse；　you　used　the　words　'disgust'　and
  'horror。'　This　license　of　expression　in　relation　to　what　you　have
  seen　in　the　precincts　of　a　convent　proves　to　me　that　you　are　out
  of　the　pale　of　the　Holy　Catholic　Church。　You　have　no　right；
  therefore；　to　expect　any　explanation；　but　I　will　give　you　one；
  nevertheless；　as　a　favor。　The　slain　man　died；　unabsolved；　in　the
  commission　of　mortal　sin。　We　infer　so　much　from　the　paper　which
  we　found　on　his　body；　and　we　know；　by　the　evidence　of　our　own
  eyes　and　ears；　that　he　was　killed　on　the　territories　of　the
  Church；　and　in　the　act　of　committing　direct　violation　of　those
  special　laws　against　the　crime　of　dueling；　the　strict　enforcement
  of　which　the　holy　father　himself　has　urged　on　the　faithful
  throughout　his　dominions　by　letters　signed　with　his　own　hand。
  Inside　this　convent　the　ground　is　consecrated；　and　we　Catholics
  are　not　accustomed　to　bury　the　outlaws　of　our　religion；　the
  enemies　of　our　holy　father；　and　the　violators　of　our　most　sacred
  laws　in　consecrated　ground。　Outside　this　convent　we　have　no
  rights　and　no　power；　and；　if　we　had　both；　we　should　remember　that
  we　are　monks；　not　grave…diggers；　and　that　the　only　burial　with
  which　_we_　can　have　any　concern　is　burial　with　the　prayers　of　the
  Church。　That　is　all　the　explanation　I　think　it　necessary　to　give。
  Wait　for　me　here；　and　you　shall　see　the　paper。〃　With　those　words
  the　father　superior　left　the　room　as　quietly　as　he　had　entered
  it。
  I　had　hardly　time　to　think　over　this　bitter　and　ungracious
  explanation；　and　to　feel　a　little　piqued　by　the　language　and
  manner　of　the　person　who　had　given　it　to　me；　before　the　father
  superior　returned　with　the　paper　in　his　hand。　He　placed　it　before
  me　on　the　dresser；　and　I　read；　hurriedly　traced　in　pencil；　the
  following　lines：
  〃This　paper　is　attached　to　the　body　of　the　late　Mr。　Stephen
  Monkton；　an　Englishman　of　distinction。　He　has　been　shot　in　a
  duel；　conducted　with　perfect　gallantry　and　honor　on　both　sides。
  His　body　is　placed　at　the　door　of　this　convent；　to　receive　burial
  at　the　hands　of　its　inmates；　the　survivors　of　the　encounter　being
  obliged　to　separate　and　secure　their　safety　by　immediate　flight。
  I；　the　second　of　the　slain　man；　and　the　writer　of　this
  explanation；　certify；　on　my　word　of　honor　as　a　gentleman　that　the
  shot　which　killed　my　principal　on　the　instant　was　fired　fairly；
  in　the　strictest　accordance　with　the　rules　laid　down　beforehand
  for　the　conduct　of　the　duel。
  〃（Signed）；　F。〃
  〃F。〃　I　recognized　easily　enough　as　the　initial　letter　of
  Monsieur　Foulon's　name；　the　second　of　Mr。　Monkton；　who　had　died
  of　consumption　at　Paris。
  The　discovery　and　the　identification　were　now　complete。　Nothing
  remained　but　to　break　the　news　to　Alfred；　and　to　get　permission
  to　remove　the　remains　in　the　outhouse。　I　began　almost　to　doubt
  the　evidence　of　my　own　senses　when　I　reflected　that　the
  apparently　impracticable　object　with　which　we　had　left　Naples　was
  already；　by　the　merest　chance；　virtually　accomplished。
  〃The　evidence　of　the　paper　is　decisive；〃　said　I；　handing　it　back。
  〃There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　remains　in　the　outhouse　are　the
  remains　of　which　we　have　been　in　search。　May　I　inquire　if　any
  obstacles　will　be　thrown　in　our　way　should　the　late　Mr。　Monkton's
  nephew　wish　to　remove　his　uncle's　body　to　the　family　burial…place
  in　England？〃
  〃Where　is　this　nephew？〃　asked　the　father　superior。
  〃He　is　now　awaiting　my　return　at　the　town　of　Fondi。〃
  〃Is　he　in　a　position　to　prove　his　relationship？〃
  〃Certainly；　he　has　papers　with　him　which　will　place　it　beyond　a
  doubt。〃
  〃Let　him　satisfy　the　civil　authorities　of　his　claim；　and　he　need
  expect　no　obstacle　to　his　wishes　from　any　one　here。〃
  I　was　in　no　humor　for　talking　a　moment　longer　with　my
  sour…tempered　companion　than　I　could　help。　The　day　was　wearing　on
  me　fast；　and；　whether　night　overtook　me　or　not；　I　was　resolved
  never　to　stop　on　my　return　till　I　got　back　to　Fondi。　Accordingly；
  after　telling　the　father　superior　that　he　might　expect　to　hear
  from　me　again　immediately；　I　made　my　bow　and　hastened　out　of　the
  sacristy。
  At　the　convent　gate　stood　my　old　friend　with　the　tin　snuff…box；
  waiting　to　let　me　out。
  〃Bless　you；　may　son；〃　said　the　venerable　recluse；　giving　me　a
  farewell　pat　on　the　shoulder；　〃come　back　soon　to　your　spiritual
  father　who　loves　you；　and　amiably　favor　him　with　another　tiny；
  tiny　pinch　of　the　delectable　snuff。〃
  CHAPTER　VI。
  I　RETURNED　at　the　top　of　my　speed　to　the　village　where　I　had　left
  the　mules；　had　the　animals　saddled　immediately；　and　succeeded　in
  getting　back　to　Fondi　a　little　before　sunset。
  While　ascending　the　stairs　of　our　hotel；　I　suffered　under　the
  most　painful　uncertainty　as　to　how　I　should　best　communicate　the
  news　of　my　discovery　to　Alfred。　If　I　could　not　succeed　in
  preparing　him　properly　for　my　tidings；　the　results；　with　such　an
  organization　as　his；　might　be　fatal。　On　opening　the　door　of　his
  room；　I　felt　by　no　means　sure　of　myself；　and　when　I　confronted
  him；　his　manner　of　receiving　me　took　me　so　much　by　surprise　that；
  for　a　moment　or　two；　I　lost　my　self…possession　altogether。
  Every　trace　of　the　lethargy　in　which　he　was　sunk　when　I　had　last
  seen　him　had　disappeared。　His　eyes　were　bright；　his　cheeks　deeply
  flushed。　As　I　entered；　he　started　up；　and　refused　my　offered
  hand。
  〃You　have　not　treated　me　like　a　friend；〃　he　said；　passionately；
  〃you　had　no　right　to　continue　the　search　unless　I　searched　with
  youyou　had　no　right　to　leave　me　here　alone。　I　was　wrong　to
  trust　you；　you　are　no　better　than　all　the　rest　of　them。〃
  I　had　by　this　time　recovered　a　little　from　my　first　astonishment；
  and　was　able　to　reply　before　he　could　say　anything　more。　It　was
  quite　useless；　in　his　present　state；　to　reason　with　him　or　to
  defend　myself。　I　determined　to　risk　everything；　and　break　my　news
  to　him　at　once。
  〃You　will　treat　me　more　justly；　Monkton；　when　you　know　that　I
  have　been　doing　you　good　service　during　my　absence；〃　I　said。
  〃Unless　I　am　greatly　mistaken；　the　object　for　which　we　have　left
  Naples　may　be　nearer　attainment　by　both　of　us　than〃
  The　flush　left　his　cheeks　almost　in　an　instant。　Some　expression
  in　my　face；　or　some　tone　in　my　voice；　of　which　I　was　not
  conscious；　had　revealed　to　his　nervously…quickened　perception
  more　than　I　had　intended　that　he　should　know　at　first。　His　eyes
  fixed　themselves　intently　on　mine；　his　hand　grasped　my　arm；　and
  he　said　to　me　in　an　eager　whisper：
  〃Tell　me　the　truth　at　once。　Have　you　found　him？〃
  It　was　too　late　to　hesitate。　I　answered　in　the　affirmative。
  〃Buried　or　unburied？〃
  His　voice　rose　abruptly　as　he　put　the　question；　and　his
  unoccupied　hand　fastened　on　my　other　arm。
  〃Unburied。〃
  I　had　hardly　uttered　the　word　before　the　blood　flew　back　into　his
  cheeks；　his　eyes　flashed　again　as　they　looked　into　mine；　and　he
  burst　into　a　fit　of　triumphant　laughter；　which　shocked　and
  startled　me　inexpressibly。
  〃What　did　I　tell　you？　What　do　you　say　to　the　old　prophecy　now？〃
  he　cried；　dropping　his　hold　on　my　arms；　and　pacing　backward　and
  forward　in　the　room。　〃Own　you　were　wrong。　Own　it；　as　all　Naples
  shall　own　it；　when　once　I　have　got　him　safe　in　his　coffin！〃
  His　laughter　grew　more　and　mere　violent。　I　tried　to　quiet　him　in
  vain。　His　servant　and　the　landlord　of　the　inn　entered　the　room；
  but　they　only　added　fuel　to　the　fire；　and　I　made　them　go　out
  again。　As　I　shut　the　door　on　them；　I　observed　lying　on　a　table
  near　at　hand　the　packet　of　letters　from　Miss　Elmslie；　which　my
  unhappy　friend　preserved　with　such　care；　and　read　and　re…read
  with　such　unfailing　devotion。　Looking　toward　me　just　when　I
  passed　by　the　table；　the　letters　caught　his　eye。　The　new　hope　for
  the　future；　in　connection　with　the　writer　of　them；　which　my　news
  was　already　awakening　in　his　heart；　seemed　to　overwhelm　him　in　an
  instant　at　sight　of　the　treasured　memorials　that　reminded　him　of
  his　betrothed　wife。　His　laughter　ceased；　his　face　changed；　he　ran
  to　the　table；　caught　the　letters　up　in　his　hand；　looked　from　them
  to　me　for　one　moment　with　an　altered　expression　which　went　to　my
  heart；　then　sank　down　on　his　knees　at　the　table；　laid　his　face　on
  the　letters；　and　burst　into　tears。　I　let　the　new　emotion　have　its
  way　uninterruptedly；　and　quitted　the　room　without　saying　a　word。
  When　I　returned　after　a　lapse　of　some　little　time；　I　found　him
  sitting　quietly　in　his　chair；　reading　one　of　the　letters　from　the
  pack　et　which　rested　on　his　knee。
  His　look　was　kindness　itself；　his　gesture　almost　womanly　in　its
  gentleness　as　he　rose　to　meet　me；　and　anxiously　held　out　his
  hand。
  He　was　quite　calm　enough　now　to　hear　in　detail　all　that　I　had　to
  tell　him。　I　suppressed　nothing　but　the　particu