door；　left　Alain　and　myself　closeted　together。
  Truly　he　had　done　nothing　to　ingratiate　himself；　his　every　word　had
  been　steeped　in　unfriendliness；　envy；　and　that　contempt　which　（as
  it　is　born　of　anger）　it　is　possible　to　support　without　humiliation。
  On　my　part；　I　had　been　little　more　conciliating；　and　yet　I　began　to
  be　sorry　for　this　man；　hired　spy　as　I　knew　him　to　be。　　It　seemed　to
  me　less　than　decent　that　he　should　have　been　brought　up　in　the
  expectation　of　this　great　inheritance；　and　now；　at　the　eleventh
  hour；　be　tumbled　forth　out　of　the　house　door　and　left　to　himself；
  his　poverty　and　his　debts　…　those　debts　of　which　I　had　so
  ungallantly　reminded　him　so　short　a　time　before。　　And　we　were
  scarce　left　alone　ere　I　made　haste　to　hang　out　a　flag　of　truce。
  'My　cousin；'　said　I；　'trust　me；　you　will　not　find　me　inclined　to　be
  your　enemy。'
  He　paused　in　front　of　me　…　for　he　had　not　accepted　the　lawyer's
  invitation　to　be　seated；　but　walked　to　and　fro　in　the　apartment　…
  took　a　pinch　of　snuff；　and　looked　at　me　while　he　was　taking　it　with
  an　air　of　much　curiosity。
  'Is　it　even　so？'　said　he。　　'Am　I　so　far　favoured　by　fortune　as　to
  have　your　pity？　　Infinitely　obliged；　my　cousin　Anne！　　But　these
  sentiments　are　not　always　reciprocal；　and　I　warn　you　that　the　day
  when　I　set　my　foot　on　your　neck；　the　spine　shall　break。　　Are　you
  acquainted　with　the　properties　of　the　spine？'　he　asked　with　an
  insolence　beyond　qualification。
  It　was　too　much。　　'I　am　acquainted　also　with　the　properties　of　a
  pair　of　pistols；'　said　I；　toising　him。
  'No；　no；　no！'　says　he；　holding　up　his　finger。　　'I　will　take　my
  revenge　how　and　when　I　please。　　We　are　enough　of　the　same　family　to
  understand　each　other；　perhaps；　and　the　reason　why　I　have　not　had
  you　arrested　on　your　arrival；　why　I　had　not　a　picket　of　soldiers　in
  the　first　clump　of　evergreens；　to　await　and　prevent　your　coming　…
  I；　who　knew　all；　before　whom　that　pettifogger；　Romaine；　has　been
  conspiring　in　broad　daylight　to　supplant　me　…　is　simply　this：　that
  I　had　not　made　up　my　mind　how　I　was　to　take　my　revenge。'
  At　that　moment　he　was　interrupted　by　the　tolling　of　a　bell。　　As　we
  stood　surprised　and　listening；　it　was　succeeded　by　the　sound　of
  many　feet　trooping　up　the　stairs　and　shuffling　by　the　door　of　our
  room。　　Both；　I　believe；　had　a　great　curiosity　to　set　it　open；　which
  each；　owing　to　the　presence　of　the　other；　resisted；　and　we　waited
  instead　in　silence；　and　without　moving；　until　Romaine　returned　and
  bade　us　to　my　uncle's　presence。
  He　led　the　way　by　a　little　crooked　passage；　which　brought　us　out　in
  the　sick…room；　and　behind　the　bed。　　I　believe　I　have　forgotten　to
  remark　that　the　Count's　chamber　was　of　considerable　dimensions。　　We
  beheld　it　now　crowded　with　the　servants　and　dependants　of　the
  house；　from　the　doctor　and　the　priest　to　Mr。　Dawson　and　the
  housekeeper；　from　Dawson　down　to　Rowley　and　the　last　footman　in
  white　calves；　the　last　plump　chambermaid　in　her　clean　gown　and　cap；
  and　the　last　ostler　in　a　stable　waiscoat。　　This　large　congregation
  of　persons　（and　I　was　surprised　to　see　how　large　it　was）　had　the
  appearance；　for　the　most　part；　of　being　ill　at　ease　and　heartily
  bewildered；　standing　on　one　foot；　gaping　like　zanies；　and　those　who
  were　in　the　corners　nudging　each　other　and　grinning　aside。　　My
  uncle；　on　the　other　hand；　who　was　raised　higher　than　I　had　yet　seen
  him　on　his　pillows；　wore　an　air　of　really　imposing　gravity。　　No
  sooner　had　we　appeared　behind　him；　than　he　lifted　his　voice　to　a
  good　loudness；　and　addressed　the　assemblage。
  'I　take　you　all　to　witness　…　can　you　hear　me？　…　I　take　you　all　to
  witness　that　I　recognise　as　my　heir　and　representative　this
  gentleman；　whom　most　of　you　see　for　the　first　time；　the　Viscount
  Anne　de　St。…Yves；　my　nephew　of　the　younger　line。　　And　I　take　you　to
  witness　at　the　same　time　that；　for　very　good　reasons　known　to
  myself；　I　have　discarded　and　disinherited　this　other　gentleman　whom
  you　all　know；　the　Viscount　de　St。…Yves。　　I　have　also　to　explain　the
  unusual　trouble　to　which　I　have　put　you　all　…　and；　since　your
  supper　was　not　over；　I　fear　I　may　even　say　annoyance。　　It　has
  pleased　M。　Alain　to　make　some　threats　of　disputing　my　will；　and　to
  pretend　that　there　are　among　your　number　certain　estimable　persons
  who　may　be　trusted　to　swear　as　he　shall　direct　them。　　It　pleases　me
  thus　to　put　it　out　of　his　power　and　to　stop　the　mouths　of　his　false
  witnesses。　　I　am　infinitely　obliged　by　your　politeness；　and　I　have
  the　honour　to　wish　you　all　a　very　good　evening。'
  As　the　servants；　still　greatly　mystified；　crowded　out　of　the
  sickroom　door；　curtseying；　pulling　the　forelock；　scraping　with　the
  foot；　and　so　on；　according　to　their　degree；　I　turned　and　stole　a
  look　at　my　cousin。　　He　had　borne　this　crushing　public　rebuke
  without　change　of　countenance。　　He　stood；　now；　very　upright；　with
  folded　arms；　and　looking　inscrutably　at　the　roof　of　the　apartment。
  I　could　not　refuse　him　at　that　moment　the　tribute　of　my　admiration。
  Still　more　so　when；　the　last　of　the　domestics　having　filed　through
  the　doorway　and　left　us　alone　with　my　great…uncle　and　the　lawyer；
  he　took　one　step　forward　towards　the　bed；　made　a　dignified
  reverence；　and　addressed　the　man　who　had　just　condemned　him　to
  ruin。
  'My　lord；'　said　he；　'you　are　pleased　to　treat　me　in　a　manner　which
  my　gratitude；　and　your　state；　equally　forbid　me　to　call　in
  question。　　It　will　be　only　necessary　for　me　to　call　your　attention
  to　the　length　of　time　in　which　I　have　been　taught　to　regard　myself
  as　your　heir。　　In　that　position；　I　judged　it　only　loyal　to　permit
  myself　a　certain　scale　of　expenditure。　　If　I　am　now　to　be　cut　off
  with　a　shilling　as　the　reward　of　twenty　years　of　service；　I　shall
  be　left　not　only　a　beggar；　but　a　bankrupt。'
  Whether　from　the　fatigue　of　his　recent　exertion；　or　by　a　well…
  inspired　ingenuity　of　hate；　my　uncle　had　once　more　closed　his　eyes；
  nor　did　he　open　them　now。　　'Not　with　a　shilling；'　he　contented
  himself　with　replying；　and　there　stole；　as　he　said　it；　a　sort　of
  smile　over　his　face；　that　flickered　there　conspicuously　for　the
  least　moment　of　time；　and　then　faded　and　left　behind　the　old
  impenetrable　mask　of　years；　cunning；　and　fatigue。　　There　could　be
  no　mistake：　my　uncle　enjoyed　the　situation　as　he　had　enjoyed　few
  things　in　the　last　quarter　of　a　century。　　The　fires　of　life　scarce
  survived　in　that　frail　body；　but　hatred；　like　some　immortal
  quality；　was　still　erect　and　unabated。
  Nevertheless　my　cousin　persevered。
  'I　speak　at　a　disadvantage；'　he　resumed。　　'My　supplanter；　with
  perhaps　more　wisdom　than　delicacy；　remains　in　the　room；'　and　he
  cast　a　glance　at　me　that　might　have　withered　an　oak　tree。
  I　was　only　too　willing　to　withdraw；　and　Romaine　showed　as　much
  alacrity　to　make　way　for　my　departure。　　But　my　uncle　was　not　to　be
  moved。　　In　the　same　breath　of　a　voice；　and　still　without　opening
  his　eyes；　he　bade　me　remain。
  'It　is　well；'　said　Alain。　　'I　cannot　then　go　on　to　remind　you　of
  the　twenty　years　that　have　passed　over　our　heads　in　England；　and
  the　services　I　may　have　rendered　you　in　that　time。　　It　would　be　a
  position　too　odious。　　Your　lordship　knows　me　too　well　to　suppose　I
  could　stoop　to　such　ignominy。　　I　must　leave　out　all　my　defence　…
  your　lordship　wills　it　so！　　I　do　not　know　what　are　my　faults；　I
  know　only　my　punishment；　and　it　is　greater　than　I　have　the　courage
  to　face。　　My　uncle；　I　implore　your　pity：　pardon　me　so　far；　do　not
  send　me　for　life　into　a　debtors'　jail　…　a　pauper　debtor。'
  'CHAT　ET　VIEUX；　PARDONNEZ？'　said　my　uncle；　quoting　from　La
  Fontaine；　and　then；　opening　a　pale…blue　eye　full　on　Alain；　he
  delivered　with　some　emphasis：
  'La　jeunesse　se　flatte　et　croit　tout　obtenir；
  La　vieillesse　est　impitoyable。'
  The　blood　leaped　darkly　into　Alain's　face。　　He　turned　to　Romaine
  and　me；　and　his　eyes　flashed。
  'It　is　your　turn　now；'　he　said。　　'At　least　it　shall　be　prison　for
  prison　with　the　two　viscounts。'
  'Not　so；　Mr。　Alain；　by　your　leave；'　said　Romaine。　　'There　are　a　few
  formalities　to　be　considered　first。'
  But　Alain　was　already　striding　towards　the　door。
  'Stop　a　moment；　stop　a　moment！'　cried　Romaine。　　'Remember　your　own
  counsel　not　to　despise　an　adversary。'
  Alain　turned。
  'If　I　do　not　despise　I　hate　you！'　he　cried；　giving　a　loose　to　his
  passion。　　'Be　warned　of　that；　both　of　you。'
  'I　understand　you　to　threaten　Monsieur　le　Vicomte　Anne；'　said　the
  lawyer。　　'Do　you　know；　I　would　not　do　that。　　I　am　afraid；　I　am　very
  much　afraid；　if　you　were　to　do　as　you　propose；　you　might　drive　me
  into　extremes。'
  'You　have　made　me　a　beggar　and　a　bankrupt；'　said　Alain。　　What
  extreme　is　left？'
  'I　scarce　like　to　put　a　name　upon　it　in　this　company；'　replied
  Romaine。　　'But　there　are　worse　things　than　even　bankruptcy；　and
  worse　places　than